Baby Alpaca are a new psych folk band out of New York City who have just released their debut EP. The EP is four songs of dream pop perfection.
Chris Kittrell traded messages with OUTinPerth, he’s the 6-foot-5 shaggy haired front man who plays auto-harp alongside band mate Zach McMillan. Kittrell hails from Cincinnati but moved to New York to create the band.
Growing up in Cincinnati, what did you dream of?
I was really into RPGs on the Nintendo and Fairytales. I would walk around in the woods behind our house and pretend I was the characters. I would climb trees, look into the sky, and lay in the grass singing tunes. I also love swimming. I would dream a lot at night about being underwater and Wild River rides at the theme park (this lead to some issues).
As I got older I dreamt of being a part of a thriving art culture.
You’ve signed to JD Samson’s Atlas Chair label – what attracted you to this label?
Pure love and excitement. That is all I am interested in. When I saw there faces when talking about the art and music of Baby Alpaca I knew they were going to be a strong member of our family.
Tell me about the collaboration of making the video for ‘Run With You’, are you a natural dancer?
Haha. Definately not. It’s something I have been working on though. I’ve been taking dance classes at the Sweat Spot in LA from Ryan Heffington (artist and choreographer). It’s been giving me much more freedom and comfortability to move on stage.
‘Run With You’ was a collaborative art piece with one of my dearest artstars Kevin Baker. We both met as young ones growing up in the Mid-West, and reconnected when we both found ourselves in New York.
We spent a lot of time in his studio. He would paint and I would work on recording songs on my laptop. It happened naturally. One thing leads to the next…
There are a few remixes of ‘Sea of Dreams’ does it surprise you the direction other people take your songs?
I love to hear the interpretations. It’s like a new friend that takes you somewhere you’ve never been before. It’s so exciting. We’re releasing a Remix EP in December 2013. There’s lots of good stuff on there 🙂 Wynn from Twin Shadow, Gabe from The Rapture, Filip (Turbotito/Poolside), Alex Suarez (Cobra Starship) & Illyse! I’m going to be dancing a lot on holiday.
Did you enjoy being in the recording studio, what was the process for putting the EP together?
The EP was a project of motion. Many different home made studios. I collect mobile equipment. In New York, Duluth, Whidbey Island, Cincinnati, Los Angeles. Jesse Rogg our good friend and co-producer was the final step before we went to master at The Lodge in New York.
I think the process influenced the music a lot. All the motion. The four EP songs are picked from a larger collection of songs we recorded over the past two years.
You’ve traveled extensively, what was your most recent trip and what did you learn from it?
I’m currently on a trip to Seattle. I’ve learned that love keeps you warm. Even in the windy cold Seattle rain at 3am. More importantly, if you love someone with all your heart, and without fear, it can only be beautiful.
Much is written about your golden locks, ever tempted to get a No1 clippers all over?
I’ve definitely been clipped! I recently had a nightmare I did that. I was like “What the fuck were you thinking?!” Maybe that’ll be the look in my next band “GI JOE: FIRST CLASS WORLD HERO”
Baby Alpaca’s debut EP is available on iTunes, check out their videos below.
Graeme Watson / image: Rudolph Bekker
