Still Parade – “Walk In The Park” (Stereogum Premiere)
Berlin-based songwriter and producer Niklas Kramer has executed quite the evolution of his project Still Parade. It began shrouded in mystery and speculation as to who was behind the project in 2013 and was finally unveiled as Kramer in 2014 along with the excellent Fields EP. Since then, Kramer has also transformed his sound, furthering his ethereal folk rock minimalism by incorporating experimental sounds and scaling back on guitar. But both sounds are still very much in his arsenal, though, as evidenced by last year’s “07:41.” Still Parade’s debut album, Concrete Vision, is due out this summer. The first offering is the pretty single “Walk In The Park.”
Guitar takes command on this one, but Kramer’s experimentation fills around it wonderfully in various forms. He knows when to push the guitar back for natural percussion, windy sweeps, and dry drums to accentuate his wispy, delicate vocals. It feels like you’re surrounded by the gentle sounds of nature when the hook “Why don’t we take a walk in the park/ There’s nothing like a walk in the park” comes in. He’s talking to a lover throughout the song, looking to find some peace and solace in each other by joining him on simple saunter through the park. In my estimation, it’s an offer that can’t be refused when it sounds like this. Listen.
Concrete Vision is out 6/3 via Heist Or Hit.