Exclusive Track Premiere: ‘Dock,’ Keeper

ABOVE: KEEPER. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ERIN JANTZEN, YADIRA BROWN, AND KATE PRIESTLEY. PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW DEGENNARO.

It’s tricky to locate the genre of Keeper, an Austin, Texas-based vocal ensemble, without turning to their self-description: “synth-soul.” The trio, which consists of Yadira Brown, Erin Jantzen, and Kate Priestley, marries synth-heavy beats with three-part harmonies reminiscent of TLC and Destiny’s Child. Here, we are pleased to premiere “Dock,” a track from the group’s forthcoming EP, Corners (which they will self-release on September 13). It opens with a scene (“I’ve reached the sea / The end of the earth / Known to me”) that reflects Brown’s state of mind while writing the song.

“I was at the end of some rope, fed up with certain things going on in my life,” she recalls. “I had committed to changing these things and felt really isolated, but also hopeful and empowered for the first time in a while.”

Less than an hour after hearing the first version of the song, which was produced by Bird Peterson, the track was written and demoed. “[Peterson] named it ‘Dock’ so the concept of sitting alone on the edge of one came pretty quickly,” says Brown.

As the first song written for the EP, “Dock” sets the tone for the rest of Corners: hypnotic and heavy, but not without hope. “Corners is certainly a bit of a departure from the vibe of our other releases; it’s a lot darker but also uplifting in a sense,” explains Jantzen. The introspection that inspired the lyrics for “Dock” connects the whole album, which rings with self-reflection. To that, Jantzen says, “The songs speak to heartache and making difficult choices. We’ve learned to stand on our own through this and feel more complete within ourselves.”

CORNERS WILL BE RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 13. FOR MORE ON KEEPER, VISIT THEIR FACEBOOK.