Kississippi's new album Mood Ring comes out on Triple Crown this Friday (8/6) (pre-order). The album features some amazing guests -- Illuminati Hotties' Sarah Tudzin, Phoebe Bridgers collaborator Marshall Vore, Derek Ted, Bartees Strange, Great Grandpa's Al Menne, Foxing's Conor Murphy, Lisa Prank's Robin Edwards, and more -- and as heard on the singles, it finds Kissisippi branching out from their indie-punk roots and fully embracing pop music. But as main member Zoe Reynolds said when Mood Ring was announced, she still "[feels] the emo and punk presence everywhere on this record" despite its poppier exterior.
For even more insight into the sounds Zoe was channelling on this album, we asked her about the music that influenced it, and she made us a list of influences that does include some pop, as well as emo, indie rock, and Bruce Springsteen. Read on for what she had to say...
Bruce Springsteen - "I’m On Fire"
"I’m On Fire” was stuck in my head for weeks when I went to write with Sarah Tudzin in LA in August 2019. I passed a mechanic sign that said “Get in tune” and I knew I wanted to write “We’re So In Tune," a song inspired by Bruce down to the music video for “I’m On Fire.” I’m pretty much in a perpetual state of yearning and Bruce really kept it real with this one... so I said, “same.”
Wolf Alice - "Don’t Delete The Kisses"
I love the way that "Don’t Delete The Kisses” takes you through the fear and hesitancy of falling and love and the joy of it all at once. This song feels huge, there are so many dreamy layers of sound to get lost in. I really strived to make a record that feels as crushy as this song.
Carly Rae Jepsen - "Too Much"
I went with two friends to see Carly Rae Jepsen at the Wiltern Theatre in LA days after my big breakup and for a moment I was fully healed. Everyone needs to dance and cry at the same time and I wanted to create that kind of space for catharsis with my new record.
Cat Power - "Metal Heart"
I grew up in an extremely pro-Cat Power house… the love for sad women singing runs in my blood. There was a period of time while I was writing “Mood Ring” where I was repeatedly traumatized and started to sink into self isolation. I wouldn’t let anyone into my heart because I was too afraid to get hurt, so I wrote “Hellbeing” about trying to leave the lonely place I wound up because of it.
Now, Now - "SGL"
It took about five seconds for “SGL” to become my new favorite song when it dropped. I’ve been really inspired as I've watched Now, Now grow from an emo band into a full pop project. When I was introduced to Andy Park and found out that he mixed “Saved,” I knew he was the producer who could get me there.
Dashboard Confessional - "Stolen"
In 2018 we were touring to meet up with Dashboard Confessional and rented a house with… God only knows how many emo bands. I hid with a friend in a walk in closet and we passed an acoustic back and forth, sharing and covering songs. My song "Twin Flame" was majorly inspired by “Stolen” so I played him both, I looked back on that memory a lot as the song grew and transformed.
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Mood Ring comes out Friday (8/6) via Triple Crown. Pre-order it here and watch three videos from the album below. A video for "We're So In Tune" will premiere on Friday.
Kississippi will also tour with Insignificant Other this month, and then play Riot Fest.
