NIE Presents: Secret Cities, Alexis, HoneyChrome, Visual Typestereo, Kayce Laine, Kenny Colours

By drawing on fractured psych, girl groups and minimalist composers, North Dakota-born, NYC-based Secret Cities conjure a kaleidoscopic, strangely moving sound out of disparate pieces. Distorted loops, drones, and thundering toms underpin distant voices. Pianos are pounded. Grainy guitars are by turns bright, caribbean, brooding, and dark. But even as strange sounds and frequencies get pushed out front, the melodies, always and forever, get top billing.

Started by MJ Parker and Charlie Gokey at the tender age of 15, Secret Cities grew out of a pen-pal arrangement that saw the pair trading 4-track tapes through the mail over the frozen tundra of North Dakota. The band eventually expanded to a trio with the addition of fellow Midwesterner and kindred spirit Alex Abnos on drums, releasing two well-received full length albums on Western Vinyl: 2010's Pink Graffiti and 2011's Strange Hearts.

After a series of successful tours in the U.S. and abroad, the band returned 2014 with Walk Me Home — not just the first album the trio recorded in a studio (Tiny Telephone), but also the first recorded in each other's physical presence. The result was the most spontaneous, democratic, and visceral recording of their lives; an album that finally reflects their live chemistry while retaining the fractured, psychedelic charm that has become Secret Cities' trademark.


One adventurous night in Chicago and a six mile walk later, Dan Hurst and Matt Forbush started what would soon become Alexis.

"The Night" and "Goldstar" available now on itunes, emusic, and amazon.


"Straight from the heavens down I was sent. I'm a messenger; many galaxies crossed. As an artist, my lyrics are the core of my mission. Profoundly spiritual, positive and uplifting, words and sound energy are tools for healing. The sound is a vessel for the healing words. Sound frequency and vocal vibration is integrated into my music to produce aural stimulation that converts into positive feelings and awareness of higher-self. Come dance and sing with us. We are the light. You are the light." – HoneyChrome

I am inspired by waves of energy. They come from inside and from external sources. My personal life, global issues, fun memories I want to hold on to – anything that moves my soul can inspire a song. It can hit at any time but usually when my mind is quiet like in the shower or before bed. Most of the time I will receive a melody in my mind then push it through my vocal chords and shape rough words for the first go round, just to get it out. I usually get the whole chorus or hook in a matter of minutes.

The name HoneyChrome manifest from a dream. I had a dream about bees. There was a huge hive developing on a picnic table on a farm. My immediate family was there, eating or just hanging right beside the hive. The bees were not aggressive, they were peaceful and minding their own business – as were we. That's it. I woke up and immediately researched bee symbolizing in dreams. It generally represents hard work, hence the phrase "busy as a bee." I was in the midst of transitioning into a freelance career and maturing my web design business so a new name and logo was nessecary. I was anticipating hard work ahead. I started playing with a logo that eventually evolved into the one seen here. Honey came from the bee dream and the rewards repealed from hard work. Chrome came from my interest in shiny, sleek futuristic things. Long story short – HoneyChrome was first used for my creative business name. in 2013 I was going through a transition in my music career and needed to do the same thing I did for my web businesses – choose a new name and logo. It was only fitting to switch back to my given name for business and adorn the HoneyChrome moniker as my artist name.

I had been writing and making music for years before making the decision to buckle down and improve my production skills. I was on a literal roll, going to rave after rave in Brooklyn and NYC. One specific night I saw a bunch of DJs playing in the main room at Webster Hall. I thought… "If they can travel the world playing other people's music, why can't I?" That was THE SINGULAR MOMENT I realized I had o take matters into my own hands to propel my music career forward.



Philadelphia Born, Brooklyn raised, HoneyChrome is transcending barriers across pop, alternative & EDM as The Altronic Ascendent. Armed with a Laptop, Synth-pad, fresh kicks, a mic and a vision, HoneyChrome is carving a unique path in today's musical landscape.

Comparisons run wide from The Pet Shop Boys & Air to Major Lazer & Porter Robinson – HoneyChrome is constantly pushing the boundary of what is happening now into the future. "Cross" is his latest example, with haunting synths and a minimalist, downtempo beat that matches the passion & dramatic feel that is expressed from a vocal perspective.

In a world over-saturated with singing TV shows & push button magic, HoneyChrome is doing something different Always Creating new music & Always looking for inspiration to find out what's next instead of is now. What is next is HoneyChrome.


Kayce Laine is a singer, pianist, and guitarist from the East Coast of Virginia. Playing a mix of covers and originals, she has performed primarily as a solo act at various venues across Virginia.

In 2006, she left the Hampton Roads area to attend school at the University of Virginia to earn degrees in Music and Politics. During those four years she was heavily involved in an an all-female a cappella group, The Virginia Sil'hooettes. While in the group, she was able to perform around the East Coast and opened for several artists including Girl Talk and Ben Folds.

After graduating in 2010, Kayce moved back to the 757 to perform, teach piano lessons, and write as much as possible. A few months later, she was contacted by an electronic pop band Blip Blip Bleep based out of Brooklyn, NY to be their new vocalist and synth player. Now, she works as a full-time member of Blip Blip Bleep and continues to grow as a solo artist in both New York and Hampton Roads.