L to R, Kim & Matt

Self-titled album

Thanks to the previously mentioned Bacardi Mojito commercial, I was introduced to Matt and Kim and now I’m hooked.  Their music reminds me a bit of 80′s goodness but they promise to be the next big thing…because they’re headlining the KahBang Music & Art Festival of ’09  – “built on discovering the next big thing.”

Matt of said music group is Matt Johnson.  It’s his voice you hear most of the time, and Matt also plays the keyboard.  Doing back-up vocals and drums is Kim Schifino.  The pair met when they were undergrads at Pratt University and formed their musical duo about 4 years ago.  When they’re not on the road, Matt and Kim call Brooklyn NY home.

For those that aren’t so familiar, their music is energetic and great for dancing. Light techno-dance beats from the drums and a synthesizer are matched with somewhat subtle lyrics that are sometimes light-hearted, sometimes angsty.  The pair say they are influenced by hip hop and pop, but then who isn’t? 

If you’ve heard of Matt & Kim before, it might be because their song “Daylight” was featured in the Bacardi Mojito commercial which was first aired in May of 2009.  But you might also be familiar with them as nominees in MTV’s 2009 VMA awards – they’re up for “Best Breakthrough Video” for “Lessons Learned“ .  You can vote for them or check out their competition HERE.

Lessons Learned music video...let's see where this goes...

 Matt & Kim are headed to Chicago on Sept. 12th and on to Detroit on the 14th.  You can find more details at their website, www.mattandkimmusic.com. 

If you’d like to learn more about the group, check out their twitter and myspace page or join their mailing list.  You can also check out an interview with the pair from NylonTV.

So yeah (yeah)…

-B.C.Bodnar