RECKLESS

By By Chris

In the wake of Palm’s dissolution in 2023, fans of the Philadelphia math-rock band were left wondering what might come next. Known for their intricate rhythms and abstract textures, Palm cultivated a cult following for their challenging, genre-defiant work. But with Kassie Krut, a new project formed by Palm alumni Eve Alpert and Kasra Kurt, joined by Nicks and Grazes producer Matt Anderegg, the answer is nothing short of a thrilling reinvention. Their debut single, “Reckless,” released via Fire Talk Records, is a bold, irreverent, and electrifying leap into the unknown, combining elements of chaotic pop spectacle and underground club menace.

From the first seconds of “Reckless,” it’s clear this isn’t Palm 2.0. Gone are the spidery guitar lines and cerebral time signatures; in their place is a throbbing electro-dub beat, drenched in distortion and attitude. Drawing inspiration from Mess-era Liars, the early defiant swagger of M.I.A., and the candy-coated aggression of Sleigh Bells’ debut, the track weaponizes its noise-pop sensibility. The production is big, brash, and deliberately unstable, pushing against the boundaries of pop while clinging to a hook so catchy it feels destined for cult anthem status. Anderegg’s production threads it all together with madcap precision, allowing each jarring texture to punch through without losing cohesion.

At the heart of it all is the unforgettable chorus Alpert chants, spelling the band’s name with manic confidence: “If you ask me who I wanna be / I’m a spell it out so it’s plain to see / K-A-S-S-I-E K-R-U-T-T-T-T.” It’s a line that instantly etches itself into memory, in the lineage of pop’s most iconic self-declarations—“It’s Britney, bitch,” “My name is Prince and I am funky” but filtered through a lens that’s scrappier, stranger, and more subversive. The extra “T-T-T” on “Krutt” turns the chant into something glitchy and aggressive, almost taunting the listener to try and resist. This is not just an introduction, it’s a proclamation of chaotic intent.

Alpert’s vocal performance is one of the track’s most striking elements. Her delivery is at once sing-songy and menacing, smiling through clenched teeth in a way that feels both playful and unnerving. She toes the line between pop performance and punk provocation, asking pointedly, “Yeah, you wanna be a freak like me?” It’s a line that sums up the track’s entire ethos, an invitation into the band’s bizarre world, where the rules of genre and coolness are cheerfully blown to pieces. The accompanying video amplifies this spirit, with Alpert grinning through a kaleidoscopic frenzy that mirrors the song’s frenzied aesthetic.

“Reckless” is an audacious debut that wears its title proudly. It’s loud, wild, and unapologetically strange, yet somehow, miraculously, it never loses its grip on accessibility. By pulling from noise, dub, punk, and pop with equal gusto, Kassie Krut has created a sound that feels at once familiar and entirely new. This is not a retreat from Palm’s experimental instincts, but a recontextualization one that swaps precision for raw energy, abstraction for bold hooks, and cerebral art-rock for joyful, genre-smashing chaos. If this is only the beginning, Kassie Krut is poised to become one of the most exciting post-Palm projects to watch