Metacara

A forest. A girl dressed all in white. Lanterns swinging from trees, hovering like fireflies. These sound like the elements of a fairytale, but in the hands of Metacara, they’re the ingredients of something far more sinister.

Both Kyla Rae, the vocalist of the electronic outfit, and Vegas Gold, who provides beats and production, appear in Metacara’s video for “Hornets.” Kyla starts the video in a dreamy setting; she’s alone in a dark forest, walking among lights hanging eerily from the trees while she sings. But, foreboding synths hint the scene is actually a nightmare. Soon, the lightbulbs break, Kyla’s face contorts into a scream and back, and she’s joined by a group of dancers from the Pitt Hip-Hop Dance Crew. “Come with me to a dark place,” she beckons, as they surround her. Distorted echoes of her own voice and wobbling bass add to the dream-like feeling of the video. As she and the dancers weave between the swinging lights, Vegas watches from a distance.

The two met while Kyla attended the University of Pittsburgh, and Vegas asked her to contribute vocals to a few of his beats. Their combination of delicate, jazzy vocals and gloomy, heavy beats complemented each other well, creating a smooth, spacey sound that was also soulful. Last May, they recorded their EP, Stone Love. Check out the video for “Hornets” below. - Audiofemme

Captivated by the flavors of hip-hop and jazz, singer-songwriters Vegas Gold and Kyla Rae united to form the electronica duo Metacara. Since collaborating in 2013, the talented Pittsburgh pair has submerged themselves in the Pittsburgh art and music scene. Their newest accomplishment, a music video for “Hornets,” the third track off the EP, Stone Love, came together thanks to local filmmakers 4Twelve Pictures and members of the University of Pittsburgh’s Hip-Hop Ensemble. We chatted with the duo before tonight’s release party for the video to learn more about how Metacara’s unique sound came to be.

WHIRL: Where do you find inspiration for your songs?

Kyla Rae: I’ve looked to my own experiences in my life for inspiration

Vegas Gold: I don’t search for inspiration. Something like an event in my life, a social issue, or an existential struggle I might be having will usually invite itself into my psyche and I have no choice but to create.

WHIRL: How has your music evolved since you first started playing together?

We both come from different musical backgrounds, but over time, we’ve been able to harness our influences to produce our own distinct sound. It has become easier to collaborate now that a few years have passed, and we’ve formed a deeper understanding of each other’s style.

WHIRL: What direction do you plan on taking Metacara in the near future?

We will be releasing new music by the summer, and then we’ll plan performances to promote it in Pittsburgh and other cities on the East Coast. Performing in Brooklyn this past October was a dream, so we can’t wait to spread our sound even further.

+ Metacara has performed locally at Spirit, RANT, and Cattivo in Lawrenceville and even took the stage at the Thrival Festival Block Party in Bakery Square! - WHIRL Magazine

Influenced by jazz, hip-hop, and soul, Kyla Rae and Vegas Gold make up the electronica outfit Metacara. The duo first teamed up in 2013 when Vegas asked Kyla to record vocals over a few “Purity-Ring-type beats” he had made. Their first few recording sessions took place in Kyla’s cozy college apartment at the University of Pittsburgh, but the resulting massive sound suggests much more. Vegas Gold provides production influenced by Clams Casino and Kanye West, offering huge distorted vocal samples and crisp, rhythmic drums. Kyla’s overlaying melodies are reminiscent of Sia and Joni Mitchell, featuring relaxed runs and a focus on songwriting. Metacara released their debut EP “Stone Love”in May and has since been at the forefront of the electronic music movement currently taking place in Pittsburgh. “Stone Love” simultaneously creates and bridges a gap between poetic, delicatevocals and spacey, low-end-heavy instrumentals. The couple’s chemistry is a driving force behind each song, along with the DIY approach they adopted for other elements of the EP. Kyla created an original painting for each of the five songs on the EP to support the story behind her lyrics. Vegas took charge of the mixing, post production, and event coordination surrounding the EP’s release.As Metacara releases the long-awaited visuals for the third track on the Stone Love EP, “Hornets”, they are poised to carve their own lane into the modern, genreless world of music. - Crash Avenue