There’s energy and earnestness flowing through each one of Junk Culture’s tracks. Deepak Mantena, the one-man show behind JC, finds his muse by finding sound in everyday settings, or in grabbing a snippet of beats and melodies when they strike him. He has done so in the past with his own handheld recorder, a la Tune-Yards. Now that Mantena has had a chance to manipulate and build on those sounds in the studio, he’s really starting to emerge with a fun and quirky voice of his own. And it’s earning him the respect of some powerhouses like Girl Talk, and some other indie up-and-comers like Phantogram.
Mantena’s new 7-inch– features two duets, and they’re both dandies. Jana Hunter, of Lower Dens fame, joins Mantena on “Hang Roxy” for a playful give-and-take about loving being in love, but not loving the one you’re with. That feeling of wanting your other half to stay around, but not really knowing why. The song’s very first and very last lines create the perfect dichotomy.
Opening lyric: “I’m out of love to give,” we said together on that evening.”
Closing lyric: “I’m full of love to give,” we said together on that evening.”
It’s like a backwards fairy tale.
The B-side finds Mantena pairing up with the aforementioned Phantogram’s female half Sarah Barthel for a slightly more chopped up, but just as catchy duet about being bored in love.
It’s a chilled-out groover.
Check out both songs below, and grab the 7-inch courtesy of Illegal Art, if you so wish.
A) Junk Culture – Hang Roxy (feat. Jana Hunter from Lower Dens) by PMA
B) Junk Culture – Chippewa Kids (feat. Sarah Barthel) by PMA
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–Sean
