Step into the Kitchen - Ten Dollar Recording Co.






Cover Art + Design: RYAN MASSAD

DEBUT ALBUM SOUNDING LOVELY!
RELEASED JULY 13th, 2023

DOWNLOAD/STREAM: TDRCO, Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music

It's unusual to discover an album wherein all the tracks hold together so well that you find yourself under a kind of spell for its duration. "Sounding Lovely!" by Step Into The Kitchen kicks off with Mariya May's beautiful harmonic Oooh's and then drops the listener into a melodic groove that may have you dancing before making way for a dreamy horn blasting in from another dimension, reminding one of filmmaker/composer Mike Figgis. Trance-inducing, wildly spontaneous, and dusted with cosmic pixie dust, "Sounding Lovely!" is tribal and wild and Joyous and reverb-y - an enormous success in mood exhalation and world-creation. "Sounding Lovely!" provides Maximum engagement for the senses, and in the end you're like "No! Don't go away..." (Robert G. Nelson)

WRITTEN, PRODUCED, & PERFORMED BY:
MARIYA MAY & MO DOUGLAS

TENOR SAX: PETER QB

STEREOPHONIC MASTERING: TIMOTHY STOLLENWERK



VIDEO: "Just Living is a Kick" from Sounding Lovely!







New Single by 'STEP INTO THE KITCHEN'

"A Fruitful Tenure"

Release Date: April 5, 2022

 DOWNLOAD/STREAM: Bandcamp, Limited Run, Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music

Step Into The Kitchen to trip out on a spaghetti space western, thru a sepia-toned kaleidoscope world of the in-between. Sure, you can meditate on your way to a funky party, but we're blasting all the way to the outer realms today. Words escape but still voices ring out and envelope you - don't worry, it's cozy in here. We're going all the way to the edge, and oh yeah, we'll be rewarded for our efforts. Talk about a vibe shift, this latest jam from the otherworldly collective is a true perception-altering adventure, not to be taken lightly. Check your measurements and sift accordingly, this is "A Fruitful Tenure". (Bryan Bruchman)




'Step Into The Kitchen' Release Debut EP

"Soups and Starters"

CD & Digital Released February 17, 2022

 BUY CD/DOWNLOAD/STREAM: Limited Run, Bandcamp, Spotify, Tidal, i-Tunes, Amazon Music

Soups and Starters is the inaugural EP from Portland-based band Step Into The Kitchen, out February 17, 2022. From opening track "Roll Out These Triangles" to closer "A Long Peak at the Script", Soups and Starters is a collection of groovy, head-nodding sonic harmonia, underpinned by a seamless mixture of dub, R&B, and psychedelic haze that drips off every track, seeping out to settle into the deep green valleys of Western Cascadia. Though clocking in at just under 12 minutes, there's a lot going on here - aforementioned "Roll Out These Triangles" is an ecstatic reggae-infused dust-up hum-along, while dub-drenched "Pan or Grittle" could be passed off as a Black Ark b-side. Standout track "Thicken and Set" is easy listening for more discerning sets of ears, and album closer "A Long Peak at the Script" pulls in rhythmic vocal incantation and mellow flute lines to induce a dreamy nod to exotic locales just beyond recognition. If you're looking to chase off some of the late winter blues, this sunshine-infused outing may be just the ticket. Get it while the oven's hot. (Reed Burnam)








Portland Band 'STEP INTO THE KITCHEN' Release Debut Single

" A Very Different Dessert "

February 4, 2022

 DOWNLOAD/STREAM: LIMITED RUN, BANDCAMP, SPOTIFY, TIDAL, APPLE MUSIC, AMAZON MUSIC

Imagine, if you will, a hazy, dank planet of sound (not that one). Its inhabitants slither and wriggle, twisting alien instruments in obscene ways, cooking up sounds almost familiar, transformed through fractured radio waves blasting out to the cosmos. Bits of jazz and dub and blues all mutilated just a little bit - a fine ceviche of sound - cooked but only technically, right? Step Into The Kitchen have departed their world and found a fine home here on this decaying blue marble for some reason, bringing with them that tasty blend, full of grooves and flourishes to nourish our dead, hungry souls with "A Very Different Dessert." Dine with the band (metaphorically, of course) and this debut single as it's served up in February 2022, available from your lovely hosts at Ten Dollar Recording Co., with a more extensive menu of delights on the way soon. (Bryan Bruchman)



New Single by 'STEP INTO THE KITCHEN'

"The Cream of Portland's Gourmet Set"

Release Date: May 19, 2022

 DOWNLOAD/STREAM: Limited Run, Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Tidal, Amazon Music

The latest single from Portland-based band Step Into The Kitchen, "The Cream of Portland's Gourmet Set" conjures a euphoric glow with its ethereal vocal layers and vibrant instrumentation. Bright mandolins converge with trickling guitars for a soundscape fit for blue ocean waters and swaying hammocks. The track's first half struts a summery glistening, while a haunting twist past the two-minute mark lends a psych-forward mystique. The vocals assume a lusher, nocturnal tone as the track progresses, complemented by a sturdy acoustical backbone that finishes into a seamless conclusion.

The band is part of Portland-based label Ten Dollar Recording Co., whose close-knit roster boasts ample intrigue in their riveting stylistic pursuits of psychedelia, soul, rock, freak-folk, and experiments beyond. (Mike Mineo)



PRAISE FOR STEP INTO THE KITCHEN

"A crackling and prolific 2022 for Step Into The Kitchen...this latest single 'A Fruitful Tenure' takes us on a journey immersed in nature on endless roads. After the first minute and a half the pace changes drastically and becomes urgent, hopeful, and more joyful. An instrumental piece of great intensity that could easily become the soundtrack of some film set on the American West Coast." - Artisti Online

"Step Into The Kitchen deliver cerebral mystique on new single, 'A Fruitful Tenure'. Setting the tone with synth frequencies fused with vocal textures and enigmatic guitar layers, we are immediately hypnotized. A cinematic film noir music video amplifies the overall sonic experience with mesmerizing visuals as we hear 'hey hey hey' chanting overhead. We are also hypnotized by the psychedelic single artwork which is equally intriguing, particularly when consumed at the same time as the composition. The textured vocals and harmonies are exquisite and we couldn't wait to add 'A Fruitful Tenure' to our New Music Spotlight playlist and explore Step Into The Kitchen's wider discography." - Karl is My Unkle

"It feels like the soundtrack to a psychedelic spaghetti western if there ever was one. Step Into The Kitchen combine funky, ambient and rock elements to create 'A Fruitful Tenure', a collective jam that can alter the way you see reality." - Mickey's Weekly

"Step Into The Kitchen take a tour of our minds with the single 'A Fruitful Tenure'. Dimensional portals open, new colors appear...this work is a painting by Dali in musical format packaged by musicians of the highest competence and technique to carry this experiment forward. Being in contact with 'A Fruitful Tenure' is like entering an art museum and seeing the works changing shape according to how each step of the spectator is taken. We can feel the sparks leaving each of the guitar picks, causing a fire that floats before our eyes. The bass, with intense frequencies, forms a mountain range of neon where its notes slide skiing through a floating avalanche...the drums lend their precision to give the reflections of an aurora borealis. Lines of voice come and go, where walls move sideways in a frenetic dance. 'A Fruitful Tenure' is a mystery to be unraveled by countless windows that give way to the planet Step Into The Kitchen and its inhabitants full of inspiration and madness." - Fabiano Menon / Roadie Music

"Step Into The Kitchen continue to amaze with unique content and inspiring music. This American music project has just begun its furrow through the vast expanses of world music and is already marking its own territory. Invisible gravity and a foggy atmosphere...we are no longer able to resist the power of this work." - Indie Dock Music Blog

"Step Into The Kitchen take us on a transcendental journey in their new single, the amazing 'A Fruitful Tenure'. A true masterpiece with delicious instrumental beats, the music makes us travel. The song is exquisite, light and intense. It says a lot even without words and creates a bond with the listener, a very well-crafted track. Genuine, authentic and innovative, we can't wait for new releases." - Tati Teixeira / Indieoclock

"The hypnotic, grooving Soups and Starters is an enthralling EP from Step Into The Kitchen, a band from Portland, Oregon. A psychedelic fervency surrounds soul and haunting guitar jangles throughout the release, accompanied by ghostly vocal effects on 'Pan or Grittle' and a saxophone-led vibrancy through 'Thicken and Set'. All four EP tracks enamor with creative, psych-friendly delights. 'Thicken and Set' is especially memorable in its bright, bouncy lushness...a wholly intoxicating production. 'Pan or Grittle' touts a more dub-friendly charm, continuing cohesively into unsettling beauty within the finale 'A Long Peak at the Script'." - Mike Mineo / Obscure Sound

"With their debut single 'A Very Different Dessert', Step Into The Kitchen bring their blend of jazz, dub and blues to our ears. Twisting with a touch of something alien, the single brings a catchy yet extremely unique sound that fractures and mutates as you listen. Completely bypassing any genre boundaries, the track is an intense collection of multiple sounds blitzed together for a decadent drink that nourishes something deep inside. 'A Very Different Dessert' builds a dark funky movement from the depths of the soundscape. There is a luminescent feeling like glowing colours glimmering in the dark. There are jittering tones that meet a rich saxophone line that brings a touch of soul. It is like the blossoming of an alien plant drawing your eye to it with a magnetic flow. Weaving between the instrumentation is a lush vocal line that creates this softness within the soundscape. It is like the cool grass under your feet that leads you down a path of the unknown. While there is a really avant-garde feeling, everything comes together perfectly." - Claudia Mendes / The Other Side Reviews




2023 Ten Dollar Recording Co. / mo@tdrco.org / www.tdrco.org