KOATS

KOATS lead producer and songwriter Chris Bartels' formative years led him to an obsession with late 90's and early aughts garage rock and alternative bands like The Strokes and Weezer. In one sense, the project is long overdue - with roots from over a decade and a half ago - but while the core of the songs may be founded on and infused with rich nostalgia, the execution is current, driven by thick electric guitar layers; loud, heavily-compressed drums; and crunchy, effects-laced vocals telling tongue-in-cheek stories of heartbreak and growing up. With ideas and rough demos lying around for years, things finally took off when Bartels brought the amp, guitar, and recording setup into his dining room in the spring of 2021 while the rest of his family was on vacation for a week. Setting up camp and recording for several days straight, he quickly lost track of time, unwittingly skipping some meals here and there, recording around the clock. It was finally happening - a true ode to the era that deeply shaped his musical mind and obsessions.