Song of the Day: Haley Heynderickx – Oom Sha La La

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Morning Show with John Richards, is “Oom Sha La La” by Haley Heynderickx from the forthcoming album I Need to Start a Garden, which will be released next year via Mama Bird Recording Co.

Haley Heynderickx – Oom Sha La La (MP3)

"I need to start a garden!," Haley Heynderickx screams with such cathartic release that you can't help but feel the same burning urge to find sanity among the soil. It's a silly, spontaneous, straight-from-the-gut line that sums up the Oregon-based singer-songwriter's raw, playful charm. It also serves as both the centerpiece to her catchy new single, "Oom Sha La La," and the title of her upcoming debut album, scheduled for release in early 2018 on Mama Bird Recording Co.

Among an effortless blend of rock, Americana, and doo-wop, Heynderickx lets loose plenty more quotable quips: "The brink of my existence essentially’s a comedy," she sings with the folksy inflection of Courtney Barnett. "I'm tired of my mind getting heavy with mold," she adds. Like Barnett, her stream-of-consciousness style is inspired by the tedium and malaise of everyday modern life. And she brightens up such candid confessions with vintage, minimalist rock harnessed in a crisp, steady beat. She sprinkles in a hit of woozy psychedelic guitar and ties it all together with the swinging "oom sha la la" chorus, making it the perfect kind of sing-along for a healthy dig in the dirt.

Heynderickx is embarking on a tour of Italy this month, but follow her on Facebook for future local dates. And check out a video for today's featured track below, directed and edited by Eric Loeffler.