Valipala

Brooklyn band Valipala perform remarkable feats of hybridized soul, melding a vast range of genres to produce a distinct signature sound. Funk, R&B, math rock, and jazz constructs are weaved together in a tight compendium of sound on Valipala’s 2017 EP Mango City and their two newly shared singles. The resulting listening experience is one of dynamic variation and creative spontaneity–it’s truly difficult to anticipate what might come next on any given Valipala tune.

“Yes” is one of two new tracks from Valipala, to be featured on their forthcoming album bubble. Ripe with pop potential, this briskly moving jazz fusion number is surely one of the band’s most fiery efforts to date. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Braxton Cook joins the band three minutes in, adding to the track’s momentum with a surging alto sax solo. - Indie Current

It seems like we've jumped straight from the warm vibrancy of summer directly into the gray days of winter. Despite our weather woes, we've thankfully got music to fill our days with color. That's where NYC-based quintet Valipala comes into play. The lady and gentlemen won rave reviews for last year's Mango City, a six-track affair introducing the world to their unique sound. They're now readying another new release and set the stage with their new single "Yes!," which we happen to have as an exclusive first listen."Yes!" feels like audible joy from the very beginning thanks to the soft keys and the band's vocalist Lauren Scales scatting alongside the smooth bassline. She flows along with the song into the verse, on which she sings of that beautiful moment when one realizes that they're in love. As she describes that happiness that could come if she could just make you hers, the groove shifts into a horn-filled swing that expands upon the initial jazz beginnings into funk and soul. The chemistry between Lauren and the band's other members — Evan Lane on trumpet, Aviv Goldgeier on keys, Nick Trautmann on bass and Matti Dunietz on drums — is undeniable and pretty mesmerizing. So much so that it's only sweetened when SoulBounce mainstay Braxton Cook drops in to work his saxophone magic near the song's close. His addition makes an already great song even greater, with the band playing with a fervor that reminds us of the freewheeling abandon that Pieces Of A Dream achieved on "We've Already Said Goodbye."“We tried to capture the adrenaline rush you get from getting something off your chest that's been bottled up for who knows how long,” Valipala said of the track. They then sang the praises of guest Braxton, saying that "Yes!" was "one of the more difficult pieces of music we’ve written. Not many people out there could handle this tune comfortably, and well, just listen. He absolutely slayed it.”"Yes!" is just the beginning of what the quintet has in store for us. They're hard at work on their upcoming set bubble, which is set to drop early next year. They're also celebrating the release of "Yes!" with a show at New York's Lady Stardust (tickets for which are available here). While "Yes!" won't be available to purchase until tomorrow officially, you can be one of the first to get an earful of this goodness when you press play below. - SoulBounce

Valipala is the new moniker for the Brooklyn based five-piece progressive soul band formerly known as With Snack. The band's new name comes as a form of revitalization, showcasing the musical path the Quintet are heading down. Their newest single, "Joanne", feels like a trip down memory lane with its TV-theme music vibe. The expert blend of jazz and funk is one of the strong points but more importantly, the songwriting continues the tale of an individual who is apprehensive over kick-starting a potential relationship. Vocalist Lauren Scales bring the story to life with her lively angelic vocals and soothing melodies over the vibrant layered soundscape as she draws the listener into the heart of the story.

"Joanne" is taken from the band's upcoming album Bubble and builds off of their last single “Yes!” in which the band's “hero bursts through and manages to confess their love, the story ending in a cliffhanger at the critical moment". "Joanne", however, goes the opposite direction with the hero choosing not to follow through with his intended feelings and instead choosing a life of solitude. - Earmilk

I'm pretty sure that a day like Tuesday would sound like this - diverse, busy and chilled at the same time. Stoked to premiere here on Stereofox Valipala's new gorgeous single "Yes!", featuring Braxton Cook.

Neo-soul and jazz, intertwining in a magnificent story. I love how Valipala described it:

"Yes!" takes place entirely in the split-second between making a risky move and seeing if it pans out.

Now, that's what life should be about, right?

"Yes!" is the lead single of their upcoming record Bubble. - Stereofox

We don't know about you guys, but we became totally enamored with New York-based band Valipala upon hearing the wonderful "Yes!" from their upcoming album bubble. The project, which will focus on the process of challenging our own comfort zones in different ways, has many more gems on its tracklist. As a matter of fact, allow us to prove that to you with the premiere of the band's latest single, "Joanne.""Joanne, like all of the songs on bubble [their upcoming album], follows one of the many paths you can take when confronted with the limit of your personal bubble," the band said in a statement. It builds off “Yes!,” in which "[their] hero bursts through and manages to confess their love, the story ending in a cliffhanger at the critical moment. Here, the opposite strategy is taken, with the protagonist choosing a life of solitude over making any kind of risky move."Like "Yes!," "Joanne" travels in a soulful sound reminiscent of when bands were an R&B mainstay. Strings and horns abound at the track's beginning and are tied together by dreamy keys courtesy of bandmember Aviv Goldgeier. It's the perfect opening for the group's vocalist Lauren Scales to weave a juicy tale that belies the sweet soulful backing music. We won't spoil all the details here as we want you guys to experience the journey just as we did, but just know that the song deals with the ache of unrequited love quite artfully. While that will definitely keep you interested, it's the band's musicianship that will ultimately reel you in. Trumpeter Evan Lane makes the track soar with his playing throughout while bassist Nick Trautmann and drummer Matti Dunietz help keep everything in the pocket. It all results in yet another musical win for the quintet."Joanne" will be officially released this Friday, December 7th. However, you can get your first listen to the track in full below. As well, if you're in the NYC area tonight, you can check out the band live at the "Joanne" release show at Mercury Lounge. - SoulBounce

Take a little bit of '60s Motown funk, mix that with today’s R&B, add with some jazz overtones, and you have Valipala. Their debut EP Mango City, released last October, is a fun, twisting journey through genres. The opening track “Mongolian Afternoon” (streaming below) showcases the powerful vocals of Lauren Scales; it sounds like the soundtrack to a happy, sunny, summer walk through the city. The band does an excellent job of giving the spotlight to each instrument at one point or another and their cohesion as bandmates is also evident in the EP's fourth track “Century Star.” Scales’ airy yet solid voice carries lightly over the instruments behind her, creating a harmonious blend of synths, drums, brass section, and voice. -Lily Crandall - The Deli

NYC-based act Valipala provide a look at their forthcoming EP, Mango City (out 10/20), with the excellent track “Love of My Life”. Immediately gripping, with entrancing vocals reminiscent of Janelle Monae, the track pursues soulful orchestral-laden arrangements, akin to the production of Matthew Herbert. It touts an interesting hook transition around the one-minute mark to the “whenever I need ya” bit, though without being jarring.

The hook-y “love of my life” central hook is accessible enough to appeal to a more general crowd as well, though also expressing jazz-laden sophistication and idiosyncrasies, not too distant from the approach of Kate Bush. An instrumental bridge at around 02:40 plays nicely, especially alongside the “whenever I need you” gradual percussive push, culminating in the brass-y explosion at 03:40 — my favorite section.

Look for another EP track, “Mongolian Afternoon”, to release on September 22nd, ahead of Mango City‘s October 20th release date. - Obscure Sound

NYC-based band Valipala recently released their groovy and creative debut EP entitled Mango City.

Coming off of four years of development, composing, and and recording, this record has been a long time coming for Valipala. They originally formed in 2012 under the name With Snack and spent years perfecting their sound and compositional style.

After joining with Nick Dunston on bass and Lauren Scales on vocals in late 2016, the band translated their name to Finnish and found the spark that motivated them to create Mango City.

What resulted is an album that serves as an ode to the vintage grooves of Motown as well as a foray into a new, modern take on R&B sound.

Mango City opens with the energetic track “Mongolian Afternoon,” which highlights vocalist Lauren Scales’s range. It’s a song that will put a smile on your face, from the funky beats to the jazz influences in the brass. A fun and exciting way to begin the album, “Mongolian Afternoon” is a great first impression of the band’s sound.


Another highlight of the album is “Candygram,” an impressive showing of the complexity of the band’s arrangements as well as the capabilities of their talented musicians.

This song is based off of an old band member’s childhood memory of receiving a candygram at school and wondering if his crush sent it to him, only to go home and find out it was from his mom. “Candygram” has an apt nostalgic quality, connecting between sweeping romantic moments and periods of energy.

For Valipala, Mango City is “A true labor of love.” Recording this EP took a lot of hard work, from building a recording studio in the band’s shared apartment to bringing in countless musicians from around New York City.

“Probably the most ambitious part of the recording process was the string quartet we put together,” keyboardist Aviv Goldgeier reflects. “We scraped a few extremely talented musicians from Juilliard — just writing out string arrangements on paper was something completely new to us, and it definitely paid off.”

After weeks of recording and mixing, Valipala emerged with an album that truly represents who they are and who they want to be.

Each track has an air of confidence that contributes to its beauty and captivating quality. The band’s precision and dedication to the quality of their music led them to have extremely high standards, which definitely paid off. Mango City is unique, funky, and not to be missed.

Find Valipala’s debut EP Mango City on Bandcamp, and follow them on Facebook to stay up to date on shows and new music. - Indie Band Guru

“Candygram” is heartfelt and nostalgic, another successful track from NYC-based act Valipala, recently featured with “Love of My Life“. Again pursuing soulful orchestral-laden arrangements, as they do throughout their excellent new EP Mango City (streaming in full below), “Candygram” begins minimally with a twinkling, minimalist melody that aptly – considering the track’s throwback thematic background – resembles the vintage Super Mario theme. Brass-forward spurts adorn the hook, alongside the always-excellent vocals of Lauren Scales.

The bridge/transition around 01:30 provides a sweeping, romantic sound that provides welcome variation between the more infectious, stomping moments. Full of eclectic range and gripping emotion, “Candygram” is one of many impressive showings on Valipala’s recently released Mango City EP. - Obscure Sound

New single from NYC-based five-piece Valipala. “In May or thereabouts, the five-piece got together to record their forthcoming 6-track release Mango City … “This record has been a true labor of love. It’s the culmination of 4 years of not just work but life – breakups and breakdowns, packed bags and packed venues, lost sleep and lost shoes,” Aviv says. “All of that resulted into some epic funk. Over the last few months, we’ve put everything we had into Mango City.”” - The 'Spill