Lakookala

Artist Information

Biography

Lakookala is the avant-punk project of LA based drummer/vocalist, Nicole Ranalli.

For several years, she was the lead vocalist of the Pittsburgh pop-punk trio, "Medic Medic". After their break up in 2008, she bought a drum kit and began experimenting in her attic, and wrote all of the songs that we now know under the moniker, LAKOOKALA.

In 2010 she took the project live, and in October 2011, Lakookala released her debut EP "Songs for ZeMean" in Los Angeles, CA. "Songs for ZeMean" received rave reviews, comparing her to the likes of PJ Harvey, Velvet Underground, Nick Cave and Public Image Ltd.

Her new single "FFU" (which can be previewed in the songs section) will be available on limited edition 7" vinyl on June 27.

LA Record - LOS ANGELES, CA "…She makes some amazing choices in her sparse accompaniment–simple piano bangs here, overblown Mellotron there…"

Tandem Magazine - CHICAGO, IL "The music video for “Mother Biiiirds” colorfully exposes the chaotic psyche of Lakookala’s lead vocalist/drummer Nicole Ranalli (sporting multiple animistic manifestations) as she tries to cope with overbearing feminine forces…"

Hypetree Seeds - NEW JERSEY "Lakookala sounds like sweet, whimsical name, but holy fuck, is this music heavy. It’s not super distorted and aggressive like metal, it’s just dark and heavy, like old school Velvet Underground or something."

Killed in Cars - LINCOLN, NE "Nico’s solo writing unites a range of dark and dramatic styles with exceptional vision…For me, it evokes that short-lived window in the early 80s when punk and pop influences collided in goth drama: post-punk and No Wave, those late Birthday Party EPs and early Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds albums, Suicide and Lydia Lunch."

Tom Tom Magazine - NEW YORK, NY"….The songs are infectious, hypnotic…The grooves and rhythms get stuck in the head. The vocals ride and soar over the backbeats and musical arrangements. The songs exist where not one thing stands out above the rest, but instead, the echoes of vocals and arrangements interplay beautifully. The sounds bounce off each other in the most positive of ways. The percussion keeps the spine aligned. The songs are compelling, draw you in, and keep you interested, but most importantly, they are simply good."

Instrumentation

Nicole Ranalli AKA Lakookala - Drums & Vocals
Phil Blythe - Bass
Michael Lombardi - Synth

Discography

COMING SOON
"FFU" Single (7" vinyl) - June 27, 2013

PAST
"Songs for ZeMean" EP (10" pink vinyl) - Released on October 10, 2011

VIDEO
"Bad Timing" video release Aug. 2011
"Bad Timing" music video chosen by INDmusic and Deli Mag for CMJ music festival 2011, NY
"Mother Biiiirds" release and premiere on Chicago's Tandem Magazine Nov. 19, 2012

RADIO
KZUM 89.3 (Lincoln, Nebraska)
KZZK 105.9 (Quincy, Illinois)
Moheak Radio (Los Angeles, CA)
WNYU 89.1 (New York, NY)
Music You Don't Have but Should (Podcast)

Official Website

http://www.lakookala.com

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Bandcamp
• Youtube
• Reverbnation

Audio

• 02 Shellfish
  Listen  
• 01 FFU
  Listen  
• 02 Mother Biiiirds
  Listen  
• 04 Without You
  Listen  
• 01 Bad Timing
  Listen  
• 03 One to Three
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Mother Biiiirds
• Bad Timing
• Without You

Video

MOTHERBiiiiRDS.mov

Lakookala Bad Timing.mp4

Photo Gallery

Press

• Lakookala : Songs for ZeMean [+ Show ]
  

  This one-woman band, led by Nico Ranalli from her drum throne, has been compared to Alison Mossheart...This one-woman band, led by Nico Ranalli from her drum throne, has been compared to Alison Mossheart from the Kills. But I think it’s more like if PJ Harvey tried to redo PiL’s Flowers of Romance, especially on my favorite, the Side B opus “Without You.” She makes some amazing choices in her sparse accompaniment–simple piano bangs here, overblown Mellotron there. Minus one point for the shockingly conventional guitar on “Bad Timing” (the other songs have none, and to their benefit), but any bad vibes are washed away by the mottled pink vinyl she pressed this on!

• Premiere - "Mother Biiiirds" Music Video [+ Show ]
  

  "The music video for “Mother Biiiirds” colorfully exposes the chaotic psyche of Lakookala’s lead voc..."The music video for “Mother Biiiirds” colorfully exposes the chaotic psyche of Lakookala’s lead vocalist/drummer Nicole Ranalli (sporting multiple animistic manifestations) as she tries to cope with overbearing feminine forces. Paint splatters, feathers fly and eggs explode in an all out glow-in-the-dark extravaganza."

• SEEDS TALKS TO: LAKOOKALA (Exclusive Interview) [+ Show ]
  

  Lakookala sounds like sweet, whimsical name, but holy fuck, is this music heavy. It’s not super di... Lakookala sounds like sweet, whimsical name, but holy fuck, is this music heavy. It’s not super distorted and aggressive like metal, it’s just dark and heavy, like old school Velvet Underground or something. It’s painful, but through that pain does shine a certain confidence and bravado that suggest pride beyond the pangs and daggers. Whatever, I’m going to stop explaining and just let Lakookala do the talking…err…writing…whatever.
  
  Obvious question first: what does the name Lakookala mean?
  
  Lakookala is actually a family nickname from my childhood. My great grandma would always call me “Nicole Lakookala” and it stuck. When trying to come up with a band name, it became pretty obvious to me that “Lakookala” was something that I identified with in my earliest form, and that it was a persona that I should develop. Someone also mentioned that it could be translated as “doll” in Greek, though I’m not sure that the pronunciation or spelling is even close.
  
  Your drumming is fantastic. Raw and aggressive, but it doesn’t sound very rock-inspired at all. What other genres do you look to do for percussion influence?
  
  I find it difficult to list my influences as genre specific, as I listen to everything! Growing up in the late 80's and 90's, I listened to so much hip hop and grunge, and as an adult I listen to more avant-garde and experimental stuff. I’ve only been playing drums since 2008, so I think my style has been created more by looking at drums from an emotional and intuitive standpoint, instead of a technical one. More recently I have been working on technique, so we’ll see how that plays out in the future.
  
  There’s a real heaviness to your music. It feels almost as heavy as doom metal or some kind of nightmare soundtrack, yet it’s not distorted at all. It’s actually very clear. How do you achieve such heaviness without turning the gain up to 10?
  
  Haha… studio tricks! I really wanted this EP to be dark and bass heavy, so we used sub synths in certain parts to really anchor these songs. My songs are pretty simple and I wanted them to be mean, but I didn’t want to lose aesthetic by killing them with distortion.
  
  Your use of piano is very impressive as well. It’s very minimal, but seems to speak volumes. Do you have any thoughts about bringing out the most in simple, sparse melodies?
  
  In general I like to go with the less is more approach so that I can develop my songs through layers. A piano is such a powerful instrument, so I try not to overplay it and let it speak for itself.
  
  Your vocal delivery sounds really loose and unplanned, like an old blues singer or something. Do you tend to just go into the studio and let out a ripping vocal part or do you plan things out a bit more?
  
  I did demo my tracks from start to finish before the studio, so the vocal parts are there – but that being said, I still go with a looser approach in the studio. I like to maintain the organic element of vocals, so I look at my vocal takes as an overall performance piece, rather than obsessing and perfecting every little snippet. I sang “My Oh, Me” live while clapping my hands and stomping on a board, because I feel like with a song like that, there is no natural way for me to just stand there and sing. When you do something like that you can never really plan how it’s going to turn out.
  
  There’s a lot of density and atmosphere to the music on your EP. Do you ever have a hard time capturing those vibes live?
  
  Yes! I am constantly trying to work on my live show to re-create the ambiance of the record. While I do like my live performance (come see me!), it is different, and in a lot of ways I am proud of that because it keeps it interesting, and in other ways… it is an ever-evolving process. My live show is bit more upbeat and punk than my EP.

• Lakookala - "Songs for ZeMean" [+ Show ]
  

  "Here’s a great debut! This record was a huge surprise for me in the fall of last year, and I’ve fou..."Here’s a great debut! This record was a huge surprise for me in the fall of last year, and I’ve found myself putting it on a few times a week for the last 3 months........ Nico’s solo writing unites a range of dark and dramatic styles with exceptional vision. Other reviews of this record namedrop PJ Harvey and Corin Tucker, and I can hear the resemblance, but I’m hearing deeper and darker influences in this music. For me, it evokes that short-lived window in the early 80s when punk and pop influences collided in goth drama: post-punk and No Wave, those late Birthday Party EPs and early Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds albums, Suicide and Lydia Lunch."

• "Songs for ZeMean" EP by Lakookala [+ Show ]
  

  "....The songs are infectious, hypnotic, and as a result have gone on constant repeat in this guy’s ..."....The songs are infectious, hypnotic, and as a result have gone on constant repeat in this guy’s music player. Once digested, these 5 songs have left a very good impression on this listener and new fan. I love how straight forward and to the point these songs hit. The grooves and rhythms get stuck in the head. The vocals ride and soar over the backbeats and musical arrangements. The songs exist where not one thing stands out above the rest, but instead, the echoes of vocals and arrangements interplay beautifully. The sounds bounce off each other in the most positive of ways. The percussion keeps the spine aligned. The songs are compelling, draw you in, and keep you interested, but most importantly, they are simply good."

• Lakookala "Songs for ZeMean" [+ Show ]
  

  "So for today I have come up with an odd little gem from bandcamp. Lakookala and her 5 song release,..."So for today I have come up with an odd little gem from bandcamp. Lakookala and her 5 song release, "Songs For ZeMean" has an experimental sound that easily works for me and my battered ears. It's loud and artsy and worth the small amount of time it takes to consume...so get snackin'! "

• Lakookala - Songs for ZeMean [+ Show ]
  

  "Lakookala is the drum-heavy avant-garde solo effort of Nicole Ranalli of Hollywood, California. Thi..."Lakookala is the drum-heavy avant-garde solo effort of Nicole Ranalli of Hollywood, California. This 5 track debut EP is a primal take on the singer/songwriter genre with a raw quality that invites your undivided attention. Her breathy vocals and pained intonations, which bellow from behind her drumset, are emphasized by the overall stripped-down instrumentation. Songs for ZeMean is available on limited edition 10" pink vinyl with hand screen-printed jacket. Only 300 pressed. Grab it at bandcamp. "
  
  

• MP3 Monday: Lakookala [+ Show ]
  

  "On a warm, sunny January Monday, I'm bringing you a track from an ex-Pittsburgher who's currently h..."On a warm, sunny January Monday, I'm bringing you a track from an ex-Pittsburgher who's currently headquartered in warm, sunny Hollywood. Lakookala is the project of singer and multi-instrumentalist Nico Ranalli, once of the Pittsburgh band Medic Medic. She was kind enough to supply track 2 from her album, Songs for Zemean. Below, stream and/or download "Mother Biiiirds".

• inDmusic and Deli Magazine Video Contest Winners [+ Show ]
  

  "Lakookala - Bad Timing - Don't piss this woman off or she'll tie you up and torture you with awesom..."Lakookala - Bad Timing - Don't piss this woman off or she'll tie you up and torture you with awesome music!"

• Origami: TONIGHT: In-store w/ Lakookala [+ Show ]
  

  "....Lakookala's style really reminds us of Alison Mosshart from The Kills. With distorted sounds, a..."....Lakookala's style really reminds us of Alison Mosshart from The Kills. With distorted sounds, and aggressive lyrics this record is following along in a girl singer punk vibe that really works.... "

• Lakookala @ Gooski's [+ Show ]
  

  "Saw an incredible show Friday night…the lead singer sounded like Corin Tucker with all the emotion,..."Saw an incredible show Friday night…the lead singer sounded like Corin Tucker with all the emotion, complexity, and sexy angst she could muster. She also played the drums which in and of itself is enough to get me to sing Lakookala’s praises. Grungy guitars, thrashing drums, and charged female lead vocals with some high pitched male backing, set quintessentially in the back room of Gooski’s which housed a comfortably packed crowd."
  
  

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Setlist

Without You
Shellfish
FFU
My, Oh Me
Light a Match, Watch it Burn
Bad Timing
Mother Biiiirds
Click Chic
ONETOTHREE

Basic Requirements

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