Brooklyn-based duo Spit/Kiss dropped their first EP, “S / K,” last month. The short release features three mesmerizing tracks, “NEW FACES,” “OMG UR SO<3" and "WHAT U WANT / WHAT I NEED," each playfully drenched in autotune and full of clever wordplay from members E Bayes (Lang '24) and T Junior.
TJ opens the EP with their somber, smooth voice, crooning, “You showed me things / I didn’t care before / It wasn’t there before.” They push in with even more passion in the next lyrics: “One and the same / each capture we fall out of frame / I’m praying this distance is strange,” describing the emotions caused by a struggling relationship and lack of communication. E joins in soon, the duo’s voices intertwining to create a dissonant, haunting melody that fades away all too soon — much like a relationship that slips out of grasp.
“OMG UR SO<3," released as a single earlier this year (on Valentine's Day, no less), is a high-spirited track that sits in stark contrast to "NEW FACES." An addictive, kalimba-esque keyboard part holds steady throughout the entire song, mimicking the raised heartbeat and bouncy attitude of someone in the honeymoon phase of a relationship. TJ's lyrical ability comes through again with lines like "Sweet like peaches / Next Top Model with your perfect features" and "I love it when I make you smile / 'Cause it ain't about me." The melody quiets down for a moment and allows E's angelic vocals to shine at the halfway point of the song, granting deserved attention to the lines "I've got / Two lips can I take my time / Show you how you're on my mind / Don't want to spend this night alone."
The first two songs were co-written and produced by Cash O’Brien, a recent Lang graduate, and the third, “WHAT U WANT / WHAT I NEED,” also features the production abilities of Ash Always. “We fit perfectly in between / What you want and what I need,” E sings in an almost pained tone, referencing the title and revealing the meaning of the track’s first half. The longest song of the release, “WHAT U WANT / WHAT I NEED” splits its time between a techno-driven love poem and a raw, slower melody about losing someone you once cherished.
Spit/Kiss celebrated the release of their EP on September 26 at Heaven Can Wait in Alphabet City. The venue was made warm by a crowd full of family, friends and “NEW FACES,” and the setlist featured their three new tracks as well as several unreleased numbers. “Brokeback,” a song literally about gay cowboys, and “GOQUIET,” your next favorite club kid anthem, bookended the latter section of the performance, and the pair’s bubbly personalities stretched to each corner of the venue.
“S / K” is streaming now on most major music platforms.