Jonny Kosmo - Pastry

Jonny Kosmo is an LA-based singer leading an ensemble playing some completely delightful and soulful pop music. It's full of beat machines, waves of synthesizers and Kosmo's high vocals (often ranging into falsetto) that make it clear this guy just wants us to be happy. Really, it's a delightful record that mixes well with whatever else you're listening to these days. Check out "Fool" - the wacky, woozy synthesizers, the crazy visuals in the video - these things provide a light touch, but don't obscure the fact that this is really good soul music:

 

 

 And another delightful feature of this record is that Kosmo's singing about positivity and encouragement throughout - the way we treat each other and the way we treat ourselves, as in "Panopticon". Kosmo says this one is about the way we tend to police ourselves, and almost help the machine police us rather than express some freedom:

 

There are some nice short tracks, sort of liminal breaks that keep the good feelings going, like "Tru" which features Gracie Jackson accompanying Kosmo on vocals:

 

 It is a complete album - 14 tracks, well sequenced, featuring a theme-setting intro that is reprised in the last track, and in between enough variations in tempo and enough supporting musicians and backup singers to keep the party going. It is out now (June 4) on Feeding Tube (US) and Dinosaur City (Australia). 

Jonny Kosmo website

Bandcamp