Karaboudjan is the indie rock solo project of songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist Billy Kim and the dense dreamy "Falling Forwards" is the 4th single from his debut album, "IMAGO". The track has an urgency pushed by heavy bass lines, guitar reflections bouncing in, captivating drum beats constructed with tom tom beats and this wonderful smashed high hat (I assume) sound, percolating dynamics and guitar rhythms and a shoegaze-esque wash of vox. The big sounds battle one another one moment and dance / intertwine with each other the next. There is a furiousness to the mix but a tenderness too in Kim's somber vocal melodies and engaging, moving lead guitar lines that pierce through.
Kim's lost his father after years of battling Alzheimer's and Karaboudjan is a direct tribute to him. Of the musical moniker, Kim shares:
“The name had always fascinated me - it was the name of a ship in The Adventures of Tin Tin,” Kim recounts. “I remember begging my parents to take me to the library so I could check out the next book in the series with which I was so infatuated. For me, Karaboudjan reminds me of the purity of my youth and it's enormous curiosity of life unlived”
Press notes reveal emotional ties to "IMAGO" as he relocated to Union City, New Jersey in 2016 (from his home base of Fullerton in Orange County, California) as a touring member of Tycho:
[“Our apartment faced the Hudson River and we had the most incredible view of the Empire State Building. It was magical to have that view every time I looked up from my computer. It was the first time I ever lived away from home, and there was something so enchanting about the city for me. Probably because that’s where I fell in love with my wife.
Much like Karaboudjan, IMAGO is also something of a tribute to Kim's youth.
“There are two definitions, and I’m using both, the first definition is quite literal as I've reached adulthood while completing my first solo endeavor. It's like I've finally reached a stage in my life where I am comfortable enough to finally release my own music that relates to personal topics for me. The second definition is an homage to my father, who definitely influences my behavior, especially after his death.”]
-Robb Donker Curtius
SoundCloud
Karaboudjan is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Billy Kim, who has toured with Tycho since 2016.
Born in Inglewood, California, but raised in Orange County, Billy grew up watching his parents play music together at home. When he was 17, he had already embarked on his first national tour across the U.S.
At the age of 23, Billy was featured in Rolling Stone after getting an opportunity to record an album with Grammy Award-Winning producer, Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, Tom Waits). It was during the same time Billy lost his father after years of deteriorating from Alzheimer’s disease. Karaboudjan is a tribute to Billy's father.
“The name had always fascinated me - it was the name of a ship in The Adventures of Tin Tin,” shares Billy. “I remember begging my parents to take me to the library so I could check out the next book in the series with which I was so infatuated. For me, Karaboudjan reminds me of the purity of my youth and it's enormous curiosity of life unlived”
In 2016, Billy joined Tycho’s touring band and relocated to Union City, New Jersey where he wrote the majority of his debut EP, IMAGO.
“Our apartment faced the Hudson River and we had the most incredible view of the Empire State Building. It was magical to have that view every time I looked up from my computer. It was the first time I ever lived away from home, and there was something so enchanting about the city for me. Probably because that’s where I fell in love with my wife.
Much like Karaboudjan, IMAGO is also something of a tribute to Billy’s youth.
“There are two definitions, and I’m using both,” explains Billy. The first definition is quite literal as I've reached adulthood while completing my first solo endeavor. It's like I've finally reached a stage in my life where I am comfortable enough to finally release my own music that relates to personal topics for me. The second definition is an homage to my father, who definitely influences my behavior, especially after his death.”
Influenced by artists like Radiohead, Blur, Tame Impala, Jon Hopkins, Department of Eagles, Animal Collective, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Simon & Garfunkel, Billy describes Karaboujdan as dreamy psych-indie rock.
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