Bottle Grin is an album that I wrote, produced, and performed as part of my project, Kit Orion. My approach to songwriting and production involved using samples as jumping-off points for melodies, soundscapes, and drum programming, then layering electronic elements alongside live instrumentation performed by fellow musicians. My goal was to blend these worlds into a cohesive and immersive sonic experience.
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The songs were written over 2020–2021 through prompts in a songwriting club led by my collaborator and friend, Jessica Kion. Recording, editing, mixing, and mastering took place from 2022–2024. Throughout the process, I used writing as a way to process grief from personal loss, and completing this project became a way of honoring my past and the people I love.
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This project was a significant period of growth as an artist, producer, and engineer. I learned through trial and error, cultivated patience, deepened my collaborative skills, and explored new approaches to integrating electronic and live elements. Bottle Grin represents a culmination of experimentation, immersive sound design, and intentional storytelling.
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The album was released on October 24, 2024.
Credits:
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Music and Lyrics by: Caitlyn O’Brien
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Production and additional engineering by: Caitlyn O'Brien
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Recorded, co-produced, and additional engineering by: Evan Murphy at Ombic Sound in Worcester, Massachusetts and Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, Rhode Island
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Mixed and mastered by: Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, Rhode Island
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Vocals, synths, samples, and drum programming by: Caitlyn O’Brien
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Trumpet by: Chris Barrett
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Drums by: Kyle Harris
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Bass guitar by: Jessica Kion
Electric guitar by: Ben Levin
Viola by: Laurence Scudder
Piano, Rhodes, and Hammond by: Samuel Taber
Additional vocals and vocal samples by: Jessica Kion, Ben Levin, Evan Murphy, James O’Brien, Mason O’Brien, Sue O’Brien and Richard O’Brien Jr.
Photo by Meghan Ireland
Press
"She’s created a deliciously catchy batch of genre-defying pop songs ... there’s a vibe of optimism and gratitude that flows through these dreamy gems."
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Noah Schaffer - WBUR 2024 Fall Music Guide
Listen Up: Cycle of life captured in Orion's 'Bottle Grin'
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Meg Trogolo - Worcester Magazine
Kit Orion reveals an electronic-pop euphoria from within on ‘Bottle Grin’
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Michael Marotta - Knyvet
Full "Bottle Grin" Album Collaborative Video Experience
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For the release of Bottle Grin, I brought together collaborators, family, friends, and community for a listening party and audiovisual experience at The Capital Theatre in Arlington.
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I curated and edited video to accompany the album and collaborated with the visual projection team Digital Awareness to perform live processing of the visuals in real time, creating an immersive, multi-sensory experience for the audience.
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The event celebrated the collaborative and experimental nature of both the album and the music video release for the single “Like Honey.”
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Here is the live mixed video to accompany the album.