Proton Candy Premiere New Single “Over Open Water”

New Detroit duo’s dreamy debut single will wash over you in an ocean of sounds.

The opening chords of this dreamy electronica/trip-hop swooner could certainly trigger a response if you’re hearing it through headphones. This is the first track from the new Detroit duo known as Proton Candy.

Galen Bundy is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator, who has several projects and collaborations on his resume, including successful and sublime fusions of blending electronica with modern jazz. Bundy leads a modern jazz piano trio and other projects, including Groove Plexus and Project 206.

Kameryn Ogden picked up her first instrument, the flute, at age 10, started writing songs at 13 and joined her first band at 14. Aside from working with Girls Rock Grand Rapids and Girls Rock Detroit, she’s led a solo folk project under her own name and collaborated with Detroit artists such as Liquid Monk, Nydgen and Flint Eastwood. 

The two met a few years ago playing gigs at local music venues. They started writing and performing together less than a year ago. They soon found themselves with an expanding collection of songs, all with a cohesive sound. Eager to continue, they decided to start a project: Proton Candy.

Their debut track opens with a cascading instrumental phrase that sets the whimsical mood before dreamy synthesizers start overlaying their dazzling drones. Slowly, just before the beats start punching in, Kameryn’s mesmerizing, word-less incantations start to glide in, and, before you know it, you’re carried away. 

“I fly over open water…” The words match the elevating evocation of the arrangement, and you can feel the suggestive openness, like the song is carrying you toward an endless horizon. But listen closely as the second verse curls away and the composition finds a grace with increasing intricacy.

Proton Candy booked shows throughout the last several months, and they’ll be performing at Farm Block Festival, here in Detroit at Trumbullplex on August 10 and at Holler Fest on August 23. They are planning on releasing an EP sometime in the fall.

Click on the player above to listen to Proton Candy’s debut track, “Over Open Water.”

https://protoncandy.bandcamp.com/track/over-open-water 

Rita Mae Steger

 

Author

  • Jeff Milo
    Jeff Milo is the host of "MI Local" on 101.9 WDET. He's a longtime music journalist documenting the Michigan scene for 20 years.