Live Music: Caliko

The cascading harmonies of powerhouse vocalist duo Caliko have a hypnotising effect on audiences. New, but already noted by NPR’s tiny desk, they have been leaving a trail of stunned onlookers at festivals and shows this year. Portland singer songwriters AC Sapphire & Kendall Lujan have harmonies that wash audiences in a swirling vortex of song. In a typical harmony, singers will choose an octave to contribute that completes the arrangement. In Caliko both singers have a vocal range that allows them to exchange highs and lows, and they’ll often switch between those in the same song. The resulting wall of sound collapses the critical ear and allows anyone within earshot to float in their wall of sound. Individually the two are already renowned songwriters and guitar players, combined they are Caliko – complementary co-writers on a huge spectrum of sound, from alt-rock, to doo-wop, to indie, to folk-rock .