America Addio

America Addio.

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There is smart, and then there is smart. There is infectious, addictive pop, and then there is infective, addictive pop. Rarely do the two meet. And yet, in America Addio, we have the perfect combination of the two: extremely vibrant, upbeat synth-pop paired with what may be the deepest, most intelligent lyrics I have ever heard.

America Addio is the product of M. Kestigian, the reclusive inventor of the “hyper-intellectual electro-pop” genre. Everything about America Addio’s music is painstakingly crafted, even when it seems like it isn’t; the ironic auto-tune, the triumphant synths, the unapologetic rock guitar, the lyrics skewering white guilt and the exploitation of Africa and race relations and agribusiness and soil conservation.

This is a perfect example of the kind of music that home recording sets loose into the world – so idiosyncratic, so deeply individualistic, so original, that it’s hard to imagine it on any traditional record label.

If you like epic, addictive pop that references Ninja Gaiden, Harper’s, and Race Relations, this is your new favorite record. If you had no idea music like that even existed, now is your time to give it a listen. You won’t be disappointed.

You can download America Addio’s demo E.P., Plat of Zion, for free. Look for the new album, Cotton Kingdom, on ELHR in 2010.

Reviews

“When it comes to lyrics, however, electronica can be rather lacking. On his Plat of Zion EP, M. Kestigian, a.k.a. America Addio, pulls from his old political science textbooks to create brainiac beats.

America Addio blends drum machines with more socially conscious lyrics than the average E-addled brain can handle. If T-Pain stopped by for a cameo with Passion Pit, it would probably sound like Kestigian’s warbled vocals. He may be young, but Kestigian’s lyrics have an old soul quality. Taking stock of the post-Faulkner South, he reflects on the world around him; sometimes the memories are pleasant while other times, the final note is melancholy.” – CTIndie