NYC Scene Report – Lukka, Tasha, & Lawrence Kim

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Lukka feeling like a “TomBoI,” Tasha with a song for the “Summer,” and Lawrence Kim taking us to his “Rodeo.”

* Psych-pop trio Lukka will be releasing their third album, titled Wendekind, on June 5th, the second single off of which is “TomBoI.”

Lukka was founded by NYC, by way of Germany, artist Franzi Szymkowiak, who explained the inspiration for “TomBoI” (the last letter is a capital i) in a statement, saying, “‘TomBoI’ is about tapping into both your masculine and feminine sides, and actually loving that mix. I feel it’s a self-celebration of my Gemini energy, leaning into that duality, and just owning it.”

Click play on “TomBoI,” and I think you’ll find both sides of Lukka sound fantastic.

* I know the calendar tells us summer doesn’t start until late June, but the sun is out, baseball is being played, and college students are close to packing up their things and heading home, so it’s summer to me. It’s also “Summer” for NYC-based singer-songwriter Tasha, whose latest single captures the laid back vibe of the season.

Tasha wrote “Summer” in June of 2024, during her run in the Tony-nominated Sufjan Stevens musical Illinoise, which was also Tasha’s Broadway debut.

Discussing the song in a statement, she said, “It’s a reflection on the bittersweet acceptance of saying goodbye to someone, or something, important to you in pursuance of a different, meaningful magic.”

Click play, and you just might feel some magic in Tasha’s “Summer.”

* Lawrence Kim – a veteran of numerous NYC bands – will be releasing his first solo album, titled The Hours and The Times, on May 15th, and it’s going to include a “Rodeo.”

The rodeo in question doesn’t require spurs, or a saddle, rather, Kim explains, “This song is about someone who is the kind of person who thinks they’re a big deal, but actually they’re not, and furthermore they’re kind of shallow in their relentless pursuit of fame and glory. It’s also about the frustration of the artistic process.”

There may not be a horse in this “Rodeo,” but it sure is a nice ride.

For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.