“I hope our music is something that people can put on at a party, but also when they’re alone and feeling introspective,” says Cameron Parkins, singer for Superhumanoids. “I think it’s really important for us to hit that broad emotional pallet.” The L.A. outfit has had a lot of time developing this approach. The three members all met in 2011 while playing with other projects and decided to form their own band. Good response from their local shows prompted Superhumanoids to put their songs to tape, and the group has spent the past two years perfecting their debut album, Exhibitionists, due out June 11. The LP is a completely DIY entity, recorded and produced by the band at an unhurried pace, which allowed for more experimentation with song structures and sounds.
The band still uses the road as something of a musical laboratory. Preceding the sessions, Superhumanoids undertook a lengthy national tour that helped bring the band members closer together, both musically and socially. The early months of 2013 have seen them opening for Local Natives and Cold War Kids, all of which will culminate in a slot at this year’s Coachella Music Festival. Superhumanoids are also coming off a productive SXSW, earning nods from Paste, Billboard, and Yahoo for their electric live shows.
That party/introspective dynamic is due to the band’s own inventive use of dynamics. The first taste from Exhibitionists is “Geri,” wherein Parkins and co-lead singer Sarah Chernoff split vocal duties, mirroring the song’s dual point-of-view. The group takes its cues from both hip-hop and R&B production techniques–everything sounds big and brash–but there’s just a hint of sadness undercutting the atmosphere.
