Leapling is an art rock band from Brooklyn whose music feels like a mobile hanging from a ceiling, distant parts twirling, humming, whirring, and comprising the greater structure. That is why it’s so hard to adequately characterize their sound without using many hyphens and disparate genres: jazzy-minimal-psych-krautrock? See? that looks super weird but should make some modicum of sense after you listen to their debut LP, Vacant Pages.
Their brand-new music video for “Crooked”, prominently features lead singer Dan Arnes stuck in a world where puppet shows are reflexive and prophetic. Working with mesmerizing, contained guitar hooks (that sort of remind me of the psych hook on Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “FFunny FFriends”), the band submerges you into a laughable world where there is no escaping the fate that little voodoo versions of yourself dictate. After watching himself get accosted by a drunk homeless guy and then by a dumpster king in a puppet show, Arnes flees the theater only to repeat the same events in real life. It’s spooky, uncanny, and definitely ridiculous. The perfect cocktail of surreal madness for such a bizarrely unique group.
Leapling are currently tour, so be sure to catch them if you have the chance!
03/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Bourbon & Branch
03/10 – Baltimore, MD @ The Crown
03/11 – Washington D.C. @ MILHOUS
03/12 – Richmond, VA
03/13 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Nightlight
03/14 – Atlanta, GA
03/15 – New Orleans, LA @ Siberia
03/17 – Houston, TX @ The Summit House
03/19 – Austin, TX – EIS Showcase @ Todd’s Mansion
03/20 – Austin, TX – EIS Showcase @ Hole in the Wall
03/21 – Austin, TX – Inflated Showcase @ The Liberty
03/23 – Bloomington, IN @ The Big House
03/24 – Chicago, IL @ Friendzone
03/25 – Detroit, MI
03/26 – Pittsburgh,PA @ Bates Hardcore Gym
03/27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium