Los Angeles-based band J Mau & The Kiss Off has released their debut single ‘Poison’ and from the very first seconds it becomes clear that there is something more behind this release than just another genre experiment. ‘Poison’ grows out of experiences the band has lived through. Out of nights spent with Hank Williams records, out of the emptied rooms of East Hollywood, out of that particular state of mind when old music suddenly starts speaking your language.

That is why ‘Poison’ carries the aftertaste of a honky tonk murder ballad filtered through decades of West Coast punk, which, for all its genre boldness, sounds surprisingly organic. The acoustic foundation, the restrained rhythm section and the vocals are incredibly catchy J Mau & The Kiss Off create a space in which every detail is exactly where it belongs. I like to think that ‘Poison’ is a natural continuation of the journey of a band that has always existed between worlds, thoughts and life’s circumstances, and has finally found a language to speak about all of them at once.