Indie-pop darlings Kaiser Cartel will commemorate the 15th anniversary of their critically acclaimed debut album, March Forth, with a reimagined, stripped-down version, March Fourth, on June 10, 2023. The duo's debut album, released in 2008, introduced the world to their enchanting sound and garnered critical acclaim. The album showcased their ability to weave heartfelt narratives with infectious melodies, captivating audiences far and wide.

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Kaiser Cartel is a folk-pop duo known for its heartfelt melodies, mesmerizing harmonies, and captivating storytelling. Formed in 2004 by Courtney Kaiser and Benjamin Cartel, the band carved out a distinct niche with their intimate and reflective sound, combining their talents and shared passion for crafting honest and emotive music.

After releasing two albums and two EPs, the duo took a hiatus from writing and recording music as Kaiser Cartel in 2012 when Courtney moved to Michigan to develop a songwriting program at Interlochen Center for the Arts, and both started families. Benjamin continued to write and record solo albums, touring as he was able. The duo kept the band alive by coming together to perform once a year in New York City, but there never seemed to be time for more.

In 2023, the duo started collaborating with producer Charles Newman (Magnetic Fields, Bones of J.R Jones), who has been working with Cartel to produce and release his solo music through his Mother West label. Plans unfolded, and the duo found themselves back in the studio, re-recording stripped-down versions of "March Forth" to release in tandem with the original albums' 15th anniversary.

Recording in Newman's LA-based Cottage Sounds studio, the three created simple soaring arrangements grounded with shimmery indie folk guitars, sparse percussion, lo-fi pianos, bells, and, with a nod to their innovative whimsical instrumentation on their original album, other quirky instruments from Newman's arsenal while placing the duo's vocal harmonies and arrangements front and center.

Courtney remarked, "For the past 11 years, I have put my energy into supporting developing young artists and have had little time or bandwidth for my own creative work. It felt so good to return to that part of myself and breathe new life into past work that I am proud of."

Benjamin Cartel stated, "When it came time to find a title for the album, March Fourth was a perfect fit. It's not a March Forth copy, the songs are the same, but we’ve approached them differently. We've stripped down the sounds, highlighting our melodies and harmonies even more. We hope that fans of Kaiser Cartel and our original album enjoy these new renditions of the melodies and words they already know so well and appreciate the surprise of the new elements we added. We've always been intentionally minimalist, and this new take on our album maximizes our minimalism in the best possible way.”