Kallai

Portland-based four-piece Kallai emerged in 2024 with a distinct alt/shoegaze sound, debuting with the single Always/Never in March, followed by the post-punk-infused Palisades, which earned a spot on the Audioasis on KEXP Best of 2024 playlist. Their self-titled EP arrived in June, less than a year after the band’s formation by members of Trance to the Sun, Lost Echoes, and Luscious Apparatus. Garnering critical praise--including being listed among the Best of 2024 by Shoegazer Alive Blog--the EP set the stage for their anticipated debut LP, We Are Forever, releasing fall 2025 via Little Cloud Records. The album expands their sonic palette with electronic textures, string sections, and emotive piano, highlighting their eclectic approach.

Beyond their own music, Kallai actively shapes the scene. In 2024, they co-founded the sold-out Dreamgaze PDX festival, now growing into a multi-city collaboration with Seattle’s Tremolo Festival. Kallai champions storytelling through music, blending themes of resilience, grief, and joy, while uplifting marginalized voices. They defy genre conventions, not to mimic classic records, but to create deeply resonant, boundary-pushing art.