Prtraits of Tracy with new EP ‘Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV!
After setting online circles alight as a teenager in her bedroom in Baton Rouge, the elusive producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Portraits of Tracy became a fascinating contender for the pop music’s evolution. Today, we introduce her to the Toast family with the announcement of the EP which sees her step boldly – and brightly – into the light: Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV! to be released July 24th.
Disruptive, experimental and ultra-vivid, Tracy’s sound draws on indelible memories: a childhood spent locked into DC hardcore, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and when MTV reigned supreme. ‘Caught In A Jam’, the first taste of what lies ahead, is a retrofuturistic anthem. Written for a space age lounge with punchy, Gary Numan-style synths and a belting power chorus that feels like Carole King astral projected into a Starfleet ship, Tracy twists the past into an uncanny vision of a far flung future.
‘Caught In A Jam’ arrives with a suitably kitsch music video with Tracy in a 60s space suit, green-screened into a cardboard metropolis fighting an “alien” invasion. On the track, she shares: “Caught In A Jam Is a brash love letter to bands such as: Squeeze, Gary Numan, Tom Tom Club & Queen. Space age obsession meets the sound and the urgency of the late 70s. ”
Sharing on her vision for the EP, Tracy says: “Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? A: MTV! is a loud and playful glimpse into who I am as a person and a musician. Drawing from acts like Stereolab & The Beach Boys… to Dead Kennedys & Dag Nasty… you know it’s bound to be a fun time.”
Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV! Is a playful successor to 2023’s Drive Home. An extraordinary statement of autonomy and sonic freedom, the 18-track concept record is an analogy for Tracy’s own journey in accepting herself as transgender and finding her voice as a Black, queer teen raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Through the lens of Junie, the album’s central character, Tracy frantically whips between elements of classic rock, hip-hop, R&B, soul, and psychedelic indie rock to tell a story of family, belonging and the importance of staying true to your gut – all guided by her prodigious musical talent.
This EP marks a confident new stage in her evolution, one where she reintroduces herself in glorious technicolour. Get ready to hit play on a whole new level from Portraits of Tracy.
Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV! artwork