Sometimes all we need is some dynamic music to keep our minds captivated. Tracks that don’t just sit there but rather jump through different sounds and lyrical ideas to tell a full story. This is exactly what KOA has done in their latest track ‘Out Of My Reach.’ This track tells three different stories in three different sections that all seem to intertwine together in some of the lyrical ideas. The music goes through smooth transitions, seeming to blend the previous sections with the next until a different sound fully phases in. It’s well-crafted and well-produced, and it just begs to be listened to on repeat.
‘Out Of My Reach’ by KOA is such an interesting blend of emo-rap and pop. It takes the listener through a dynamic story from start to finish by adding an experimental energy and exploring different sounds throughout the bass and synths. There’s something so captivating about the quick cutting synths at the start, and the slowly growing and shrinking bass. The musicality takes a shift shortly before more beat-driven and less melodic vocals, and this shift in energy and tone is integrated seamlessly. The diversity in the sound comes straight from the different forms of instrumentation used. As the band says, “We wanted how we produced it to say something as well. The first part is made purely out of samples. The second part only out of midi and the third part is sounds recorded by guitar, hands, or voice.” ‘Out Of My Reach’ is a track that refuses to stay stagnant, and it works with genre in a way that makes it perfect for an eclectic group of ears.
KOA wanted to make a song in three parts, which shows through both the instrumentation and lyrics. As they put it, it’s “three songs in one.” The sections seem to jump through a story of heartbreak, a story of rising through the industry with fear of losing creative freedom, and self-doubt. The last section of doubt seems to be the knot that ties the previous two sections together. The lyrics are extremely poetic, and though they come from the personal experiences of KOA, they leave an opening for listeners to read and relate to it from their own personal lens.
Koa is an Arizona-based musical duo made up of brothers Austin and Jagger Spacy. Austin is a creative dancer who taught himself to produce music while dancing with Taylor Swift during the 1989 World Tour. Jagger got his start as a rapper and songwriter for MMG and has moved forward to create music with KOA. Having these previous backgrounds proved useful in KOA’s creation, as their three tracks in 2021 alone have well-crafted musicality and crisp production. It’s exciting to think that this is just their start, and they’ll just keep growing from here.
Written by Sage Plapp
