Marcel Sletten - Vicious Kisses (2021)

The full-length debut from Athens, Georgia-based musician Marcel Sletten is a sardonic, romantic pop album. Described by Sletten as “Whitman/Titian-meets-Elvis Costello/Nick Cave,” Vicious Kisses was mostly recorded in a single week at the artist’s home in Lodi, California. “This is my insomnia album,” Sletten says, referring to Vicious Kisses’ emotionally turbulent late-night recording sessions.

Across eight synth-heavy tracks, Vicious Kisses incorporates elements of genres such as country, dub, jazz, and synthpop. The album’s centerpiece, “Sleepless Nights,” is equally inspired by ‘80s sophisti-pop and My Bloody Valentine; meanwhile, the blissed-out “Kali Yuga” blends processed lap steel with cello drones to create a singular, melancholic sound. Psychedelic folk music for the digital age.