I'm totally digging the music and overall chill and quirky vibe that Robin Schorr — better known on social media as "Blond in Car" — is delivering. Her Instagram describes her as "the groovy aunt of dream-pop," which is basically a perfect introduction to her project. And Brick and Mortar Music describes her musical stylings as "hazy luscious pop with unique melodies and smart, insightful lyrics." She sings originals and also gorgeous covers while she accompanies herself on the Omnichord — yes, the toy electronic harp-like synthesizer that was popular in the 1980s. She makes it sound terrific! As an added bonus, the funny captions her daughter writes for the videos make them even better. Brick and Mortar Music gives a more detailed description of her and her work:
When Robin wrote "My High Gummygirl," a dreampop love song about her stoner daughter, everything changed. The video of her playing the song on Omnichord (a beloved 80's toy synth) on an ironing board in her kitchen became a viral hit on Tiktok and Instagram. Suddenly, this funny, unique portrait of mother-daughter unconditional love turned Blond in Car into your favorite songwriters' favorite songwriter. Robin's weekly Omnichord covers of pop songs have made her a huge devoted following on social media and she keeps getting invited to tour with her music idols, from dreampop diva Ella Vos, to award winning Irish artist CMAT and NY art rockers Quarters of Change. And now every cool person between twenty and thirty wants her to be their groovy aunt.
I've been scrolling through Blond in Car's Instagram and I love everything she's doing. She can turn pretty much any pop song into her particular style, with the mellifluous sounds of the Omnichord and her sweet and earnest vocals. Here she is singing a melancholic version of Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club," and a soulful version of Coldplay's "Yellow," which she posted shortly after the infamous kiss cam incident. One of my favorite covers of hers is this one of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," where she abandons the original's gunshot sounds for sweet electronic chirps and pings on her Omnichord. I just love it!
To see and hear more from Blond in Car, follow her on Instagram or YouTube.
Previously:
• Omnichord, the wonderfully simple synth-harp of the 1980s, is reborn
• Listen to the Stylophone Orchestra who play the pocket synthesizer Bowie made famous
• How to turn a thrift store cassette player into a gnarly guitar distortion box
• Metallica and The Roots play 'Enter Sandman' on toy and classroom instruments
• Check out Michael Hearst's song: 'Ode to Odd Instruments'
• This synthesizer for preschoolers looks like fun for all ages
