Still Parade is the project and artistic expression of songwriter, producer Niklas Kramer. Today, Still Parade premieres a new track “Concrete Vision“ via Under The Radar.
Kramer launched Still Parade with debut single ‘Actors’ on 20th May 2013 and for a long while his identity was clouded by secrecy and mystique. This decision was taken with a view to letting the music alone do the talking. And that it did.
Following ‘Actors’, Kramer delivered extremely well received singles as well as the ‘Fields’ EP that saw Still Parade continue to build it’s following online amongst the tastemakers of the blogosphere.
During this period between the end of 2013 and 2014 the identity of Still Parade’s founder and driving creative force was gradually revealed as Niklas Kramer, a young producer and artist basing himself out of Germany’s creative hub of Berlin. It also saw Still Parade begin to play festivals and headline shows across Europe in cities including London, Paris, Amsterdam as well as their hometown of Berlin.
This period also saw Kramer become interested in experimenting with new recording techniques after receiving a tape recorder as a gift from his father. His previous output had all been recorded within fully equipped professional studios with experienced producers, resulting in a slick dream folk sound. However, only now was he realizing that he preferred the sound he was able to generate by himself within his own tiny Berlin apartment recording on that very tape machine.
Now armed with a collection of brand new songs Still Parade will be sure to leave behind the dream folk, yacht rock sound that became synonymous with Kramer’s early output. His debut album self recorded and produced with the use of his tape machine, is set for release in 2016, and it’s fair to say Kramer has successfully managed to harness influences from his all time heroes Todd Rundgren and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
In the process Kramer will emerge as not just a great songwriter, but also an extremely accomplished producer in his own right. That tape machine is looking like a wise gift!
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