After spending the last few years building up his reputation for fresh and engaging alt-pop delights, cemented with a flurry of single and EP offerings, LA-based artist and auteur Matan KG aka Paper Idol has now passed the first major milestone of his career so far with the release of his eagerly-awaited debut album 'The Playground'.
Throughout his newest collection, the artist and producer looks to explore a dense and adventurous texture at almost every turn. While the record's opener 'Sidewalk' sees him pursue more of that raw and driven aesthetic he has been developing, the following track 'CNTRL' makes for a far more intense listen.
This instantly gives the record a multifaceted appeal as 'Bright Side Baby' and 'Hey You' each serve up some wonderfully sweet and buoyant ideals throughout. While one of the standout gems 'Young Hearts' perfectly elevates the rich direction he has mastered so far, its final pairing of 'Kick Your Friends Out' and 'Knock Knock' cap of the release with more of his sensual vision and prowess.
Speaking about the new release, he said, “‘The Playground‘ is about missing the purity of childhood. It’s so easy to get caught up in status, envy, competition, desire to compare yourself to others. But we often forget there was a time when we were just “being,” soaking up the world around us with no ego, no care in the world. My bandmate Adam and I tried so many different ideas for the chorus that didn’t work for this specific song. Then the idea of a vintage children’s choir came up – and it fit perfectly! I got in touch with The West Los Angeles Children’s Choir and they totally nailed it, which are the voices you hear on the song. This was during the pandemic, so we had zoom rehearsals and each child recorded their part at home. It was such a fun experience taking those recordings and fitting them into the record.”
While this new collection has certainly been a long time coming, Paper Idol has certainly made it worth the wait as 'The Playground' instantly marks him as one of the more inventive names on the scene today.
Have a listen to 'The Playground' in full below.