CD packaged w/ 21 page color art book includes lyrics, credits, hand-written notes and sketches by artist * Book dimensions: 5.5"W x7.75"L - sized to fit within retail CD spaces Katie Kate is a force. A dark horse with an extensive classical background, she channels her quirky, emotive lyrics through the lenses of hip hop by blending the swagger, attitude, and rhythms with an undeniable pop aura. Her forthcoming album Nation, set for release August 5th, was the result of a four-month onslaught that progressed from the original beats into something more earnest, raw, and exposed. Refusing to retreat to more safe material, Kate instead chose to embrace the deeper elements, and developed material that is more honest, angry, and visceral than her previous release, yet still hallmarked with the accessibly and humor that made her earlier material shine. Hailing from a small farm in upstate New York, Kate moved to Seattle and earned her degree in classical piano from Cornish College of the Arts in 2009. Her first album, Flatland, was lauded as "one of the best offerings all year" (The Stranger) and "a stellar introduction to an exceptional multifaceted talent." (KEXP). Now, with Nation, Kate refines the subtle rhythmic complexity and idiosyncratic production of Flatland into a bolder palette of emotional geography and musical complexity. Nation is where pop song style and filthy rap verses collide across the landscape of Americana. Tracks like "Fur and Gowns," about a sinking riverboat casino, and "Zombie," about losing one's humanity and becoming a monster, were inspired by dreams, while the track "Drift" explores Kate's struggle with her traumatic past and dissociative tendencies while driving. The ferocious song "Persephone" is essentially two songs in one, featuring the prominent Seattle wrappers Jarv D and Nacho Picasso, longtime friends and eager collaborators. "Rushmore "and "Buffalo" speak of the monoliths and natural forces of North America in a deeply personal way, the reflection of America through the lenses of Kate's intense inner world. Musically, Nation highlights the collision between digital and analog. The music and beats were composed by Kate, with live elements and analog synths added to flesh out the material. Live drumming (courtesy of Trent Moorman) was incorporated with vintage synths and re-amping. This parallels Kate's own duality as a classical musician and an electronic composer, intertwining the two worlds into something much more than the sum of its parts. Nation is the result of this contradictory raw new landscape, brimming with harshness, optimism, and attitude. Catchy, mesmerizing, dark yet playful, Katie Kate stands alone on the frontier of future pop.