Song of the Day: Figg - A Case Study in Plagiarism

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is "A Case Study in Plagiarism" by local duo Figg, from their 2016 self-titled, self-released debut album.

Figg - A Case Study in Plagiarism (MP3)Despite lengthy stints in the Seattle music scene, Figg marks a new phase in the careers of Robin Peringer and Gilden Tunador. Both participants in the dear, departed local group Carissa's Wierd, Figg's self-titled debut finds Peringer and Tunador mixing elements of the melancholic Carissa's Wierd sound with echoes of vintage pop (think of Nancy Sinatra's spaced-out work with Lee Hazlewood, if she was raised on Slowdive). Tunador's voice has a striking clarity in the track mix of lead-off cut "A Case Study in Plagiarism," paired with a slightly fuzzed out guitar part, which builds to a beautiful, layered refrain directly referencing the great Carissa's Wierd song "Drunk with the Only Saints I Know." In this sense, the track represents a full circle in the careers of Peringer and Tunador, looking back at their roots while continuing to stretch and experiment as musicians.

Though Figg have no tour dates announced at this time, check out their Facebook page and Bandcamp for more information. In the meantime, here's the video for their track "You and Me, Oh Please":