Ladada - Ladada

Artwork: Josiah Schlater and Bianca Busante
Digital Release Date: August 5, 2014

Note: This EP appears on the b-side of Ladada's Hi Five 12", found here.

Ladada is Virginia Beach native Josiah Schlater. After years of recording and touring in other bands (MAE, We Are Trees, Jake Clemons), Schlater has now settled into a lively, sun-drenched sound of his own. Taking inspiraton from early Motown and 60's garage rock, he squeezed a drum kit, a couple guitars, a 4-track, and a netbook into a small storage unit and began recording what became Ladada. Close to being finished, he brought the tracks over to Whalehead studios where he mixed them with his friend John Anderson, and subsequently over to Mark Padgett (MAE/engineer for We Are Trees) for final touches and a beautifully refreshing mastering job.

Ladada, pronounced "luh-DAH-duh," is both onomatopoetica and a reference to the avante-garde art movement of the early 20th century. "Like someone's referencing it in Spanish," says Schlater. "Si, la Dada." He continues on, "The original idea was to record the randomest of everyday sounds and incorporate them into a groove that steadily evolves into newer grooves. Eggs sizzling, water dripping, clothes spinning, etc. with a variety of real instruments (drums, bass, etc) surrounding it to create a smooth, loungy, yet outrageous sound.

Tracklist

01. Ladada - Coming Alive
02. Ladada - Comets
03. Ladada - Give It Back
04. Ladada - Oh The Weather
05. Ladada - Coin Toss
06. Ladada - Car In The Sky
07. Ladada - Harmony

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REVIEWS

"Though its title summons images of heat and speed, “Comets,” from the forthcoming debut EP by Ladada, feels more like a blissful trip down a calm, winding river. Josiah Schlater’s voice rests high up in the ether, his falsetto soft and cottony, and the song’s gorgeous, languid melody recalls the Apples in Stereo at their most relaxed. The lyrics echo the music’s ease, praising the comet’s freedom compared to the motionlessness of the stars that surround it. Even when darkness begins to creep in near the song’s end — the vastness of space compared to a life without love — Schlater sounds peaceful and optimistic."
- Wondering Sound

"(E)ven if Ladada is only six songs long, it rockets by because Schlater’s songwriting is so engaging. Schlater wrote and recorded this thing by himself, but it never feels as such — even though it has a singular vision, Ladada offers the full band experience. The best songs in this set (“Comets” and “Coin Toss”) threaten to be crossover hits, and their sunny, poppy melodies are truly excellent. The other tracks are solid as well, and while they will surely appeal to fans of ’60s garage rock, they may not be ready to transcend the audience just yet. Better studio engineering would definitely draw out the potential in some of these songs, but by and large, this is an impressive set from a songwriter who has seemed to discover his own voice. I can’t wait to see what Ladada pulls out next, now that it’s come to life." - Earbuddy

"Ladada is Josiah Schlater, a Virginia Beach musician who used to play with the mall-punk heroes Mae among other bands. Now he’s doing his own thing, and that thing is whimsical lo-fi garage pop recorded in a storage unit. “Coin Toss,” from Ladada’s forthcoming self-titled EP, is rock ’n’ roll fun that reminds me of the ’60s crossed with the ’90s, delivered with an immediacy that feels like right now." - Stereogum

"(A) fun and whimsical trip into the world of sun-drenched garage pop (it doesn’t make sense now, but it will after you listen). With a nod to the lo-fi sounds of the 60’s, the track is irresistible and begs to be played over and over." - Wordkrapht

"It is a blissful slice of languid yet sunny, psych-drenched atmospheric pop that carries at its heart the good natured optimism of classic Motown. Take a ride and float away on the back of its slow-moving melodies." - The Mad Mackerel

"This lovely bubblegum pop jam is exquisitely composed, and presents an undeniably infectious tune. From start to finish, Ladada easily commands your attention and melts your pretty little heart with its lovable chords and preciously put lyrics. Songs like these come along every once in a while and cannot be overlooked." - Indie Shuffle

also:

Don't Need No Melody
Pause Musicale
The Sound of Confusion
Is Your Clam In A Jam?
Austin Town Hall
Choir Croak Our Them Goodies

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