BIG STIR RECORDS is proud to announce the latest artist to officially join our roster: KAI DANZBERG, whose new single “Let Me Know” is available now, with a new album to follow early in 2019!
KAI DANZBERG emerged to take the pop world by storm in 2018 with his self-produced album Pop Up Radio. Hailing from Hanover, Germany, Danzberg, who's only 25, wowed critics and listeners alike with his firm grasp of songcraft and studio technique, drawing sonic comparisons to legends like ELO while presenting a fresh take on classic pop. Like his California-based BSR labelmate ADDISON LOVE, Danzberg represents the new generation of power pop millennials, crafting hooks and harmonies to stand with the greats.
Danzberg has been honing his craft since age 4, starting on drums and joining a German punk band by age 12. Around the same time, he taught himself guitar and took a deep dive into vintage sounds of Queen, Jellyfish, Chris Rainbow and of course The Beatles. Those influences shaped Pop Up Radio into the ambitious, hook-filled concoction that captured ears everywhere.
Hailed as “the standard against which all 2018 releases will be measured”, the record's production and arrangements (all handled by Danzberg) evoked song cycles like A Night at the Opera and Pet Sounds, as the '70s-radio-ready sheen adorns a set of thematically-related songs. “The lyrics are very personal,” Danzberg explains. “It had to do with a relationship I had for 8 years, which broke up in early 2017.” That cathartic underpinning makes the record all the more accessible, and tunes like “Too Late” and “Just Listen to Me” show that a blend of passion and craft can still exhilarate in the right hands.
The success of Pop Up Radio opened doors for the tireless Danzberg, who quickly began work on the followup with the assistance of new peers and heroes from the global pop community. Luminaries like DANA COUNTRYMAN, DAVID MYHR, and ROGER MANNING JR. (of Danzberg's beloved Jellyfish) all contributed to the record. Los Angeles songstress LISA MYCHOLS serves as Kai's duet partner on the lead single, “Let Me Know”.
“The album is called Not Only Sunshine, and it will have different themes,” Danzberg explains. “Some are love songs, some are just happy or aggressive. I chose the title because it means that not everything turns good in your life... sometimes you need to go through stuff. But it also contains a lot of sunshine melodies and good-vibe songs!”
Not Only Sunshine will see release in early 2019 on Big Stir Records. “Let Me Know” is available now as part of the label's Digital Singles series. Pop Up Radio is also available for free at the BSR website.
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