OK Cool Premiere 'soaked in' Video

04-18-2023

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(Chromatic) OK Cool-the Chicago-based band of Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist-today debuted "soaked in," the final single from their new EP fawn due out April 28th via Take a Hike Records.

The wistful, energized track and its Tracy Conoboy-directed video premiered earlier today via Under the Radar ahead of its global release via streaming services tonight. "This song was super fun to write and I think it might be one of the most representative of the project as a whole," says Stiebris. "It's got a lot of goofy guitar lines and fun instrumental sections going on, and I get to do a lot of yelling which is always a plus. Lyrically, the song is kind of a larger bittersweet look at my adult life so far - reflecting on the bad and the good, and wondering if it's still possible to truly find peace/happiness in myself and my relationships."

OK Cool are set to play a headlining EP release show at Chicago's Schubas Tavern on May 4th; tickets are available here. "soaked in" follows EP singles "nissanweekends" and "normal c," which earned early praise and support from them (Queer Music Monthly March playlist), Stereogum, Closed Captioned, If It's Too Loud, and others. fawn is available for pre-order HERE.

Eight songs clocking in at a head-spinning, 17-minute runtime, OK Cool's third EP fawn is at heart a direct line into the minds and creative processes of the band's songwriters. It's a kaleidoscopic stride that showcases the ongoing evolution in their union of glistening math rock and dream pop that the two shredders have been working on since their inception in 2020. The duo's curiosity for experimentation is reflected throughout: linear, untraditional song structures are bolstered by their athletic musical precision, acute sense for hooks, and wall-of-sound mastery crafted with reverberated Telecasters and transcendent effects.

Though the EP packs a confident punch, neither Stiebris (26) nor Blomquist (25) had ever taken on main songwriting duties in a band before starting OK Cool. "I had never sung on stage in my life and was extremely nervous about it. All we really knew is that we were always on the same page creatively in each project we had been in, and that was good enough to try writing together," Stiebris explains.

"It definitely did, and still mostly does, feel like we're just finding our legs in all of this. The idea of a baby deer learning to walk felt pretty appropriate for the title of the EP-it parallels the vulnerability that comes with taking on new experiences," Blomquist notes. Though they may feel like they're just finding their legs, fawn stands tall, unafraid to explore and define the unique sonic language of OK Cool.