Sharp Pins is the solo project of Kai Slater, a Chicago indie pop musician who also plays in Lifeguard and Dwaal Troupe. His lo-fi power pop and jangle come straight out of the city's DIY scene — Radio DDR (2024) is the critical favorite and the right first grab, with Turtle Rock (2022) for the completists. Browse Sharp Pins vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Sharp Pins is the solo recording project of American indie pop musician Kai Slater, based in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a member of the bands Lifeguard (with Asher Case and Isaac Lowenstein) and Dwaal Troupe. Slater has been associated with the contemporary Chicago DIY indie rock scene. His Sharp Pins project focuses on lo-fi power pop and jangly indie pop influences. His 2024 album Radio DDR received critical attention.
Sharp Pins's sound combines indie pop, jangle pop, power pop, lo-fi indie, alternative rock, indie rock, and twee pop with Slater's distinctive vocal delivery, layered guitar arrangements, and lyrical content drawing on contemporary indie pop and classic 1980s and 1990s power pop traditions.
Perennial Records and Mt. St. Mtn. pressings of the Sharp Pins catalog have been issued in color variant editions and limited deluxe pressings.
Listeners new to Sharp Pins typically start with Radio DDR (2024).
