Catcall

Catcall
Anniversary EP
5 Track, EP (2008, Instant Touch Recordings)

I don’t know what, or how, to write about this, but I like it. A lot. In fact, I think I’ve got a crush.

This is so exciting. Intelligent yet fun independent music made by what appears to be a strong, confident woman. Why isn’t there so much more of this? The only musical comparison I can think to draw is to M.I.A. or Macromantics, neither of which adequately allude to Catcall’s (real name Catherine Kelleher) sound, and which I am also sure are names she must constantly see in her reviews, sadly. Let us forget comparisons altogether, in fact. Catcall is new, and fresh, and deserves reviewing on her own terms.

If the many-layered and decidedly bratty rap of opening track ‘Chicky Babe’ gets your attention, it’s the next track, ‘August’ that makes you truly sit up and notice. A beautiful, electronic dream, Catcall’s glorious voice is showcased brilliantly in a sparkling meander set to a mechanised beat. There’s a natural sexiness here; never forced, but still present. The brash tempo of ‘C.C.’ is refreshing, as is the delightfully egocentric call of “Catcaaaall! Catcaaaall!” throughout, and both ‘Fresh’ and the rather moving ‘Mama San’ close the EP perfectly.

It is an attitude-driven recording, oozing confidence and style, but never lacking depth and personality; music to dance to and music to think to. Just superb.

by A.H. Cayley
- Mess and Noise Magazine

Catcall - "Chicky Babe" 4/5
This hits like a bomb. An alumni of Sydney band Kiosk, singer/MC Catherine runs the vocal intensity she previously applied to art punk over indie beat-making - organ, bass and drum loops combine, lapse and delay to crushing effect. Catcall's reckless combination vocal boasts punk energy, catchy melodies and the pared-back aggressive simplicity of 80's hip hop. And the beat really pounds along...this song's a knockout debut effort. - The Brag

By Richard Macfarlane

Second, from Sydney, with DJ Sleater Brockman and backup dancer rocking a denim jacket that matched her own, Catcall’s take on the live show is one of entertainment. Even if a hip hop support act seemed a little hard to respond to for some of the crowd, her sensibilities are closely in line with that of the main act; some punk ethics, some pop sensibilities but most of all a willingness to have fun. Her hip hop is influenced by both the Top 40 jams and the more obscure, sounding somewhere between M.I.A. and Madonna. Hers’ is a fresh approach, with a background in DIY punk, bringing a lo-fi beats and skills in both singing and rapping to the stage. It worked out terrifically, bringing a welcome dimension to the bill - Rave Magazine

Catcall is the hip hop, keyboard solo guise of Catherine Kelleher. Formerly of Sydney no-wavers Kiosk - of whom Beth Ditto (Gossip), Calvin Johnson (ex-beat happening) and Allison Wolfe (ex-Bratmobile) all professed to be massive fans - Kelleher is now making punchy, genre bending laptop gems like Chicky Babe, a rap laced banger that's more a tad reminiscent of MIA at her beat-busting best. The real winner here, however, is the dub-infused synth pop of August, a sublime slow jam with slinky keyboards and a winding, melancholic gait. Tres Bien! - INPRESS

By Eliza Sarlos

First up DIY diva Catcall tiptoes the line of pop and sub-subculture, and comes out on top with a unique blend of the two. Through obliquely referencing commercial dance cultures Catcall (aka Kiosk's Catherine Kelleher with her dj Sleater Brockman) manages to create something entirely her own, that is both rough and refined and, above all, super fun. Catcall = future cultural leader? Forget the future; she's setting the pace as we speak
- Drum Media Sydney