Release of the Week: KEO

Can you briefly introduce yourselves and your project KEO?

We are a pop trio consisting of Finja Keogh (vocals, piano), Jasper Wermuth (drums), and David Kläy (cello). We attended the Gymnasium Kirchenfeld on the same level, but we effectively got to know each other while salsa dancing together.  From Finja's first song "Upside Down" we realized that we were all enthusiastic about making music together and eventually came up with the idea of forming a band.  So it happened, from Spring 2019 we met regularly in a small band room in Länggasse and started to tinker with new songs as KEO.  

In March 2020 we were able to record a three-song demo tape with the Bernese musician Zeno Tornado and had our first true studio experiences.  Subsequently, with newfound motivation for a larger project, we contacted the producer Tom Etter, with whom we recorded the album "Resonance", and recorded six songs over two summer weeks.  Fortunately, we received financial support from the Bernese youth promotion platform Startstutz. 

We shot the music video for the single "Resonance" (from the EP of the same name) with a good friend, Carla Keller, in December 2020. 

As the three of us got to know each other better, we quickly realized our shared passion for music and making music. Our band KEO is an expression of this passion, continuously inspiring and complimenting each other. Since the formation of the band in the Spring of 2019, we have made many beautiful memories and met lovely people who supported us and became a part of the project.

What are your experiences with Spotify and the other streaming and download platforms?

We start with our single and the album "Resonance" as a newcomer on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Therefore the whole release planning was definitely new territory for us. However, we were able to gain a little experience with the release of our demo recordings of the songs "Combox", "The Wolves" and "Reflection", which we released last year on SoundCloud. 

What can you tell us about your album "Resonance"?

The album title "Resonance" applies to KEO and our songs in many ways. The term means the resonance of one body in the vibration of another body.  For us, that was the inspiration that transferred back and forth between us. The term is also reflected in our acoustic lineup.

The six songs on the album are varied in content and music. Since we have different backgrounds, elements of Latin, Jazz, or even Classical music always unconsciously flowed into the pieces during our band rehearsals, forming a unique underlying mood for each piece.

The English lyrics of Finja have mostly differentiated descriptions of emotional states, such as the feeling of going out in "The Wolves", lack of perspective in "Reflection" or self-pity in "Why Me".  For us, the album became an authentic reflection of our style and identity as a band and is a representative piece of art for our time together.   

What are your plans for 2021?

The release of "Resonance" marks the beginning of a new chapter for the three of us. In terms of KEO, you can see it as the "crowning glory", of a very important project for us.  We are at a turning point in life and our ways partly separate.  One thing is certain, however, that we will all continue to devote ourselves to music with a passion. But now we are very happy that we can share our music with others.