The most admirable characteristic of a musical artist is his or her willingness to experiment with a new sound and abandon traditional ways of playing music. This description encapsulates everything about Zipper Club, a new-wave pop synth band who performed at this year’s Shaky Knees Music Festival. Composed of former Cerebral Ballzy member, Mason James and solo artist Lissie Trullie, Zipper Club is nothing like any of the projects the two have done in the past.
The band pulls their inspirations from several different sources. Mason has gone on the record saying that he doesn’t like to pigeonhole himself into one type of music- if it sounds good, he’s a fan. “No one listens to one genre anymore,” he says. “If you do you’re boring.”
The group currently has five singles on Spotify, including their claim to fame, “Going the Distance.” Each song has a sound unique in their own way, but every one has the same Zipper Club trademark. Knowing that the band is always exploring new sound, I asked if their music in the future will sound completely different from the music they have out currently.
“You can’t reinvent the wheel,” Matt said. “But you can make it bigger and spin it faster and put some 20s on it.” This open-mindedness is what drives Zipper Club beyond the boundaries of most band and push the envelope.
The band has performed at Coachella before and say that smaller festivals like Shaky Knees are better suited for their tastes. Rather than being a show of selfies and flower crowns, Shaky Knees is all about fans’ genuine love for music.
“Larger festivals like Coachella are all about being seen,” said Lissie. “Shaky Knees is more intimate.”
The band’s tour continues in to Houston, Texas June 2 and June 3 along with other indie and alternative acts like Bishop Briggs, Anna Lunoe and Hippo Campus.
