Motenko

“…Meshing the best retro-soul bits of Muscle Shoals and Motown with modern pop and R&B, plus some impresas of Mac DeMarco and Steve Lacy and Motenko’s eponymous 2020 debut EP’s received nearly a million streams on Spotify alone. On the technical side, Micah’s dexterity has turned him into a two-time Austin Music Award nominee for “Best Keyboardist”. Well, with the release of a pair of singles last summer, some of Wild Child’s road-wise shine must’ve rubbed off on Motenko’s songwriting, since they now seem like they’re breaking out of their “safe” formulas in favor of “riskier” structures and arrangements. 

In fact, Motenko recruited some of Sir Woman’s awesome entourage to provide backing vocals and fill out the arrangement on their latest single “Lifted”. On top of that, Motenko teamed up with Twin Shadow producer extraordinaire Austin Smith to punch up this already-rich piece of tip-top soul-pop into pure perfection... ...So if you woke up tired and hazy this morning and but don’t want to get drunk off the strength of your own will for Thirsty Thursday, the melodica cocktail that is “Lifted” will definitely help you grapple with your own motivation.”

-Jack Anderson, KUTX

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"Motenko dished funked-up soul, the quartet’s frontman Micah Motenko channeling something of Professor Longhair and Leon Russell with “On Your Level” from last year’s eponymous debut EP." -Austin Chronicle 

"Carefully-constructed compositions, head-bobbing grooves, and of course, Micah’s knack for knocking it out of the park with his crystalline vocals" -KUTX

"Motenko excels at a vein of Americana music that combines elements of jazz, pop and soul." -Austin American-Statesman

"He’s slipped into the erotic power of life for yourself, on your own terms, seduced by the here and now. It’s an open invitation to join for anyone else who needs to experience that fiery spark of life again." -Going Left
 

KUTX

Austin Chronicle

V13

Austin Music Minute: First Love

Austin Music Minute: Motenko Vibe

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Going Left

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