Song of the Day: Kita Klane - Running Circles (Mexican Institute of Sound Remix)

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Running Circles (Mexican Institute of Sound Remix)” by Kita Klane, originally from the self-released 2012 EP In Love With The Enemy.

Kita Klane - Running Circles (Mexican Institute of Sound Remix) (MP3)

With a voice seemingly pulled straight from the back of a smoke-filled 1960s jazz club and a demeanor that's oozing with charisma, L.A. singer Kita Klane's desert soul is dangerously alluring. First emerging in L.A. in 2011 as part of the electro duo The Filthy Pillows, Klane's solo work is more analog-based than her other project, incorporating '60s hallmarks like girl group rhythms, dusky instrumentation, and a hint of psychedelia. Her debut effort, 2012's In Love With The Enemy EP, consists of four tales of heartbreak told between cigarettes, each one a little more cutting than the last. The original version of "Running Circles" is a sultry slow burn, but after being remixed by Mexico City-based electronic musician Camilo Lara (under his Mexican Institute of Sound moniker), it receives a vintage-styled makeover that accentuates Klane's smoky voice. Opting to keep a similar tempo, Lara outfits the rhythm of the song with percolating percussion, underlying organ stabs, and in the choruses, a brass section that provides a well-timed accent for Klane's kiss off to a former love. When Klane declares "You say it's meant to be/But when boredom comes around/I know you'll be calling me" in her opening verse, it's hard to deny her the repeated listens that the song's title implies, even if you're not the unlucky soul that the song was written about.

Kita doesn't have any tour dates at the moment, but to hear about any new shows or music, keep up with her on Facebook and Bandcamp. Below, watch the video for "Running Circles".