Dehd - Flower of Devotion

I've been a mild fan of Dehd since their first tape in 2016, the coed vocals, the minimal instrumentation and lofi recordings made for bouncey raw pop that was enjoyable listen but I wasn't totally head over heels. I am often not susceptible to hype, I tend to ignore things that are hyped, esp in "mainstream" indie. But, Dehd is one of the few bands these days that have ascended in a more "classic" way, meaning: toured their asses off, worked on the craft, evolved and remained on a smaller label. So, that leads us here, "Flower of Devotion", with higher production, more adventurous vocal performances and best songs they've written. There is something about these songs that make me think, what if a Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazlewood collaboration was produced by Robie Guthrie in 1980s. These songs make me think of a forlored prom scene in idealized version of late 1950s. It's an interesting, but not a full pivot from their established sound, just expands it into full bloom. The guitars shimmer in a way that doesn't kill the urgency, the basslines evolve with the vocals, and drums keep it all grounded, adding/subtracting dynamics very cleverly. They make so many unexpected choices, when you first hear it, yr like does this work? Like in the second tracks tongue clicks, and by the end, yr like, "yes, i love this". Its always great to see a band with potential, fully realized their sound and do they whole writing their best tunes. I don't know, I'm just charmed by this record, its really fucking good. Its feels very DEHD, their isn't any bands that come to mind that sound similar. Very curious to see what they do next, reading some features, they reference Broadcast, Cocteau Twins and MBV....would love to hear them distill these influences into their sound more. Enjoy.

https://dehdforever.bandcamp.com/album/flower-of-devotion

Aspidistra - "Cradle" "Grip" and "Sunrise"

In my last post I talked about my husband and I wanting to start a cassette reissue label, to release Harry Case's "In a Mood", along with, that we want to release this as far as I can tell pretty unknown and underrated shoegaze, noise pop, dream pop whattttttever band Aspidistra's three 7inchs on tape. So, writing this, I am doing two things, introducing you all to this killer band, and putting it out into the world, doods from this band, or Fluff, or Lust records, holler at me, I'm serious and we wanna do this so much. Also, I try not to talk about my band Dummy on here cuz reasons but this band is a huge influence on us. ANYWAY, I discovered this band, about 8 years ago deep into my trying to find the most obscure shoegaze bands I could find, it was on some blog, totally random, downloaded it and was like "what the fuck is this!". To put it plainly it sounds like the perfect blend of MBV's "Ecstacy and Wine" era mixed with "You Made Me Realise" era or if the Primatives were more noisy, in your face, and fucked up sounding. Aside from MBV, this is my perfect ideal of the shoegaze genre. Pulverizing noise with great pop tunes. "Sunrise" their debut EP packs 4 songs in 12 mins of pure miasmic bliss, and the thing that immediately stands out is the drumming, which is killer through all three eps, his playing is crisp, minimal and propulsive, which allows the guitars to just bleed and explode distortion everywhere. Theres so much use of feedback, and noise, if I didnt know any better I'd say these doods were punx at some point. Their second EP "Grip" is more caustic and noisy, the A-Side opens w simplest 4/4 beat and a guitar intro, then some weird sound effect happens and everything comes crashing in and the BASS is just CHUGGGGGING, its brutal beauty and a perfect song. The B-Side starts off w a full minute of feedback and noise before kicking into another punk af noise pop jam. They just hit you with walls and walls of sound but the mixing is great, the drums are lower in mix and vocals don't over power. The final EP is "Cradle" which I've only ever heard one side of it, the title track, because I've never been able to find the other song, is a very different vibe from their first two releases, way slower, droned out and broody and kinda predicts a lot of current shoegaze, its a crazy sounding dirge but not lazy. So, what really sucks is, you can't find this stuff anywhere but youtube and maybe torret it. It's a shame cuz this shit rules, and deserves to be heard by more people. So again.....anyone put me in touch with these phreaks. I wanna release a discography tape! Below I made a YouTube playlist with all available songs I could find. Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8jGMLw0xeptzzPBCVcJtEBZIj_ol14aS

10 favorite releases so far in 2020

I guess cuz all the the other cool kids are doing it, I'll do a best of 2020 so far, which other than music has been complete shit. In no particular order.

Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters

So, look I've been on the Fiona Apple train loooooong before it was "cool" to do. The hyperbolicness surroundings the GREATNESS of the record is imo, and over course correction for eveyone sleeping in the past. This isn't her best record, that remains to be "When The Pawn...." but this LP is very much the most FIONA, Fiona Apple record that she's ever released. Its chaotic, messy and feels what I assume its like to be in her head. Which makes for an extremely compelling record, filled to the brim with her most acidic lyrics and some of the most creative percussion yr gonna hear on a major artists release. The whole record feels like an exorcism of the past, coming to terms with how youve been treated and how touve been complacent in being apart of those  social systems and hopefully coming out feeling lighter and more at peace within yourself. I'm a dood, so a lot of the themes aren't for me, which no one should use as a knock on the record and I still relate to alot of them anyway. The main thing I personally miss is the beautiful melodies and hooks, but instead w get her more adventurous LP to date, which rules. It makes me happy more people are giving her the respect she has long deserved. 

Toner - Silk Road

Oakland phreaks come pummeling through the speakers with equal parts walls of distortion and sugary pop melodies. Their are moments of dream pop, punk, grunge, shoegaze and classic SST indie rock. There are so many clever songwriting moments, especially with the transitions and bass parts. In my mind Toner are the sitting kings of Pummeling Pop, who's coming for the throne!

https://tonerca.bandcamp.com/album/silk-road

Peel Dream Magazine - Agitprop Alterna 

Pretty much all my fav things in guitar music rolled into one, tight well written shell. A lot has been said about this record in a lot of places, so not much to add but Joe takes what was at first a kinda hermitish project and fully blooms into a pop power house of dreamy vocals mixed w indie pop noise, and yalls minds are gonna be blown when you hear what he does next.

https://peeldreammagazine.bandcamp.com/

Ulla Straus - Tumbling Towards A Wall

Since being quarantined, I often go on solo walks so I can listen to music, without having the distractions of the TV, phone or PS4. One thing, for me that has sucked about not working/going out is thats when i listened to music. Driving around doing errands and at work, playing music. That's where i fall in love with stuff. This album has been my go to walking music, its  calming and helps me focus on being present when I'm outside. The music itself is dubby experimental electronic music, very hushed and beautiful. Definitely overlooked so far this year. 

https://ullastraus.bandcamp.com/album/tumbling-towards-a-wall

Daisies - Cherries 

Another overlooked release this year has been the Daisies new EP. Its very 90s dance/trip hop music mixed with DIY ethos, and gets pretty out there but will still get yr butt moving in yr living room. Its similar to 

Saint Etienne, which is an easy comparison but I like this far more than I've enjoyed their stuff, this is weirder and cathartic.

https://daisies.bandcamp.com/

C.H.E.W. - In Due Time

Recently, I've been returning to listening to hardcore/punk stuff like Siege, Discharge, Botch...etc due to my anger and anxiety of reality and I came across C.H.E.W. EP when perusing the Irong Lung Records bandcamp. What I got was this bulldozzer of distortion and rage. All go, no slow, no bs raw punk. Thats what I NEED right now to soothe the overwhelming amount of anger and hopeless thats swirling in my head and others.

https://ironlungpv.bandcamp.com/album/in-due-time-7-lungs-161

Cindy Lee - What's Tonight to Eternity

This one hell of a record, uniquely recorded, not afraid of alienating the listener which I appreciate and love. The combo of brutal noise feedback with beautiful haunting 60s pop songs. Its a shame that this sorta experimental indie rock music isn't still en vogue, where the artists isnt looking to streams, playlist placement, its just pure ugly blissful art.

https://cindylee.bandcamp.com/album/whats-tonight-to-eternity

Mo Dotti - Blurring

Wrote a whole post about it, its third time mentioning it on this blog, its for people who actually like OG shoegzer cuz its songs first, effects second. 

https://mo-dotti.bandcamp.com/

Green-House - 6 Songs For An Invisible Gardens

Did a whole post dedicated to this great new age cassette, go read that!

https://green-house.bandcamp.com/album/six-songs-for-invisible-gardens

Lojii - lo&behold

Few of these I've obviously written about, SORRY, but this is hands down best hiphop LP of the year, great lyrics and fantastic production, just go read my post.

https://lojii.bandcamp.com/album/lo-behold-2

Harry Case - In A Mood

My husband and I have discovered so much good music from the blog : https://www.listentothis.info, which I highly recommend diving head first into digging amongst all the gems Jen posts about. The reason I bring this up because thats how we discovered Harry Case's "In A Mood", which is a 10 out 10 record, and I'm extremely surprised how slept on it is. There really isn't alot of info available on this record at all, other than it was his second LP, released on Ichiban Records in 1989 and kinda predicted alot of current trends in indie, electronic pop and outsider music. The drum programming is killer, and has these very off kilter grooves with smooth as fuck guitar playing. The vocals are welcoming, sadly only featured on a handful of songs. The whole thing is this blissed out new age pop music that pulls from jazz, funk, ambient and electronic music. Its so so so so listenable, the LP opens with "Ride 'Em Off" which sets the tone with masterful drum programming, stabbing piano chords looped and synth bass making you feel like yr ready for anything and then the vocals kick in and yr just there with him, embracing the beauty of the day. Its like a sunrise, and the whole LP plays out like a full day passing until you get to the final track, which is undoubtedly informed by fourth world music/city pop and you slowly phase into a dream state. Its a subtle psychedelic record, dream pop for extroverts. Its a truly magnificent record, and I implore all my readers to check it out. A dream of my husband and I's is to start a cassette reissue label, and release this. Linked below is a YouTube video of the full record, or you can go to the blog mentioned above and download it, unfortunately his music isn't on Bandcamp or Spotify. Enjoy 

https://youtu.be/r1udnsYNYo4

8 recently inactive to current actual shoegaze bands.

Shoegaze continues to be one of the most poorly used descriptors in music journalism, its a hill I am willing to die on. Mostly, any vague sense of pedal usage, MBV or Slowdive influence (now Hum and Deftones count too?), its called SHOEGAZE. But most of the time its closer to dreamy slowcore or dreamy alt rock, which is FINE,if that gets you off. Shoegaze for me, is just incarnation of punks discovering pedals and psychedelics, but still trying to write a fucking tune. And it wasnt entrenched in masculinity, it was very coed, and that's a huge reason I loved it! Theres weird elements to the "shoegaze" scene that isn5 connected to indie or punk.....thats a whole different thing, and i never really liked the people i met from that world, they didnt swt up shows, passive  aggressive jealousy and idk, just weird vibes. There are bands here you could easily make argument they arent shoegaze but idc your wrong. So here's my list :

Blue Smiley - Return

Sadly, this bands abrupt end was due to main person behind the project passing away, and was a huge loss for his friends and family but also a huge loss for us music listeners because by all accounts they were just getting started, and on their second tape they knock it WAY out of the park. I cant think of a band with a more recognizable guitar tone, and hella catchy tunes. This one should be repressed and lifted UP.

https://bluesmiley.bandcamp.com/

No Joy - Wait to Pleasure 

No Joy for some insane reason continues to be slept on by shoegaze fans and just indie rock fans alike. With "Wait to Pleasure" they wrote for my money, the best modern shoegaze LP to beat. Around this time also, they were AMAZING live, pummelled me when I saw them in DC.

https://nojoy.bandcamp.com/album/wait-to-pleasure

Big Hush - Who's Smoking Your Spirit/Wholes LP

I literally dedicated a whole blog post to this band, go find it 

bighush.bandcamp.com/music

Technicolor Teeth - Discography 

Another underrated band that has since broken up, Technicolor Teeth were buddies of mine, and the band next to Big Hush that pushed me creatively during my Wildhoney days. We played with these doods 3 times, and each time was better than the last, pummeling punk mixed with MBVs bending guitars and pop hooks. It reallllllly sucks they never put out the second record they were writing, I'm sure it would have been a modern masterpiece. 

https://technicolorteeth.bandcamp.com/music

Smut -  End of Sam-Soon

This record is perfect mixed of youthful angst, MBV and Sonic Youth, hailing from Cincinnati, OH and now Chicago? Ive seen this band grow from an almost no wave punk band to these excellent songwriters with a great ear for tones and melody. I cannot recommend this LP enough, perfect for anytime, but especially driving a night. 

https://smutonline.bandcamp.com/album/end-of-sam-soon

Barlow -  In A Stranger's Car

These phreaks are from Erie,PA and they are true lofi diy weirdos who happen to write some of the catchiest shoegaze songs youll hear. They have a huge discography and imo best place to start is linked below. They in my mind continue they experimental ethos of shoegaze alive, and are just fantastic. 

https://barlow.bandcamp.com/album/in-a-strangers-car

Hotline TNT - Discography 

I don't know how Hotline TNT would feel about me calling them a shoegaze band but they fit the bill, warped guitars bending every which way, punk urgency and ear worms that you'll hum all day. Its absurd this band isnt bigger, and its a shame they didnt get to do those Snail Mail dates cuz that would have opened them up to a whole different world of people. Their discography imo is so far flawless.

Mo Dotti - Blurring

First post I ever did was on this band cuz they rule.

https://mo-dotti.bandcamp.com/

Also, to be an asshole, my old band Wildhoney was a pretty good shoegaze band, until we got to soft.

Green-House - 6 Songs for Invisible Gardens

Green-House is a LA based artist on Leaving Records (who has also released gems by Nainah Hunter and Laraaji this year), whos debut release is a wonderous collection of songs....for invisible gardens. Over the six songs your treated to gentle synths bubbling, drones and field recordings that all combine into a blissful state of peace and ease. And that's exactly what its meant for, soft reflection in a chaotic world, to heal you and your flora whom you share your little world with. I listen to this while taking walks(with a mask on), cleaning, reading and cooking dinner. Its a perfect companion for all activities to calm the constant distortion of reality. In a lot of ways these six songs remind me of Haruomi Hosono's 1984 cassette only release "Watering A Flower" which was originally made for Muji a Japanese housewares store. I've actually been to a Muji in LA, and my mind was blown when I heard Hosono being played in a mall in Southern California. Green-House would easily work in the same context and that isn't a slight on their work, its just very calming and malls are chaotic hellholes of capitalism. So, Green-House rules and you should buy their LP or tape, this is definitely top 3 of the year material for me. Enjoy

https://green-house.bandcamp.com/album/six-songs-for-invisible-gardens

Lojii - lo&behold

I know in a lot of my posts I give context of how I discovered stuff I'm writing about, and I feel its important to give credit, where credit is due. That being said, MIKE retweeted this album when it came out, I love MIKE'S shit, so I checked out Lojii, and lo&behold (😬) this record has become one of my favorite hiphop albums in last few years. Firstly, I wanna say SOMEONE release this on tape or vinyl for fuck sake!  Immediately I was taken by the production, and the low key grooves, samples of jazz, soul and abstract electronic music that create a soft focused psychedelic bed for Lojii to do his thing over. Lojii story telling is fantastic, my interpretation of his lyrics could most certainly be WRONG, but to me alot of it is about late stage capitalism and trying to find the moment's of pleasure when your constantly having to hustle your way through life just to survive. These lyrical themes are so clearly in focus on the track "Between Hu$tles" : "I haven't felt the same since I made my first hundred/then I learned the game and how to turn into another/I aint got time to worry about the second coming/I be to tired worrying about the first coming", for me I cant imagine a PERFECT articulation of what it is to poor/working class in America, its extremely universal, I relate to it completely despite, Lojii and I having very different experiences in life. The record is full of these great bars, and his cadence is smooth and confident. Obviously being a white dood writing about hiphop feels weird becuz, this is, in a way voyerism, I'm taking a peak into a world that isn't mine, but I think listening to hiphop radicalizes me more, cuz I listen to stories, those stories create more knowledge and empathy about experiences outside my own. I want to be respectful and lift up a great artist. All that being said, I fucking love this record, I think its been under praised, and I hope this little essay turns some more people onto it. Enjoy

https://lojii.bandcamp.com/album/lo-behold-2

Mope Grooves

I discovered Mope Grooves,randomly searching Portland tag on bandcamp, when looking for bands to play with and I believe "Desire" had just came out. I thought they sounded dope, and made a mental note to listen to whole record after I had finished looking for more bands. I spaced, and forgot to listen to the rest of the record, but than couple weeks later my husband came acorss it, and we both fell in love with it. Its pretty rare that my husband likes "new" bands, so over course of a few months we worked through the rest of their discography. What we discovered is that Mope Grooves is quietly one of the most exciting bands in DIY rock/punk over last 5 years. The reference points on "Joy" and "Vanished " are easy to spot at first : The Raincoats, The Clean, Velvet Underground, Big Star and at times The Kinks (which their label is named after my favorite Kinks "See My Friends"), and yet they distill it in a way that is very much their own. "The Waves" is, imo kind of a transitional record, you can hear new sounds and ideas being folded into the mix, the excitement is overflowing. The centerpiece of the LP "Wave 2" has such a bizarre feel, the guitar drone is disorienting, played so hard its this buzzing stab and its pinned against these gentle keys/synth, that sound like someone is trying to contact you from a different reality, its just a GREAT. The whole LP is bursting w fascination, especially w organs and 60s pysch pop. As their evolution continues to their latest release "Desire" they are becoming more and more experimental. I cannot be certain but it feels like they are listening to older/current experimental electronic music, jazz and still have The Raincoats as a touch stone. I wouldn't be surprised if early Aphex Twin was apart of their diet sonically around this time. With "Desire" they shed being a guitar band, focusing on synths, and the rhythmic pulse. Eveything is about the percussion, they create so many interesting grooves, that are fun, feelwheeling but complex, clever and sure of themselves. I cannot recommend this LP enough, IT'S SO DAMN GOOD. So, ya Mope Grooves, they rule, and you should take sometime to listen to their so far EXCELLENT discography. I'm so excited to hear what they do next. Enjoy

https://mopegrooves.bandcamp.com/music

Ashra - New Age Of Earth

 Hearing Ashra's "New Age Of Earth" for the first time was a turning point for me, for my listening habits/what i was looking for in art. I was at the tail end of playing hardcore and  i was ready to put that aside, and I started listening to Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, Neu and Can. So I was hungry for those kinda sounds, and I came across this LP on some random blog that I couldnt tell you the name off. These 4 tracks transported me outer space, deep into the ocean and myself. Manuel Gottsching had previously led Ash Ra Temple, who were a seminal krautrock band I had listened to, especially "Seven Up" with Timothy Leary (highly recommend the book "The Harvard Psychedelic Studies"), but this is a as far as a I can tell his solo debut. The combo of blissed out synth washes, proto techno drum machines and stream of conscious guitar solos make these 4 tracks soooooooar into transcendent life affirming pleasure. Something that has always struck me about this album is the song titles and how the describe the precise feeling of the song itself, its truly magical. Listening to this album would directly lead to me listening to more new age/ambient music, and falling in love with stuff like Iasos, Pauline Anna Strom, Laraaji and new stuff like Bitchin Bajas, Wume, and Forma. Who all carry the torch of new age/electronic/krautrock......which informs my music stronger than ever. So, this LP doesn't have a bandcamp, so in what I hope is a rare occurrence, because I want people to support actual artists....a borrowed download link is below. Enjoy

https://mega.nz/#!T4NwVIyJ!MpRS66qy5UxDpLTV74aDn_7-9e8Ii9xBidwSneVHiKc

Antena

I find it absolutely mindblowing that Antena isn't talked about more, they predict so many styles and trends in indie, post punk, and experimental music. I guess the easiest way to describe them is : what if Young Marble Giants or Cocteau Twins listened to bossa nova/yeye but remained just as punk? Its like listening to proto Stereolab, Cardigans and even stuff like Air. "Comina Del Sol" was originally released in 1980 as a 12inch EP, but in 1982 expanded into a LP. This is imo, the definition of cool, nothing beats this, and has been such transformative discovery for me and the music I make. The mix of bossa nova, and post-punk minimalism is a match made in space age heaven. A lot of it is playful, mysterious, danceable and could imagine the sounds one day finding themselves in a surreal indie scifi film, where nature and technology are bleeding into one another. They are a band whove ive put on countless playlists. I hope one day some punks discover this and make a band influenced by em, cuz its probably gonna rule. Till than, enjoy this absolute unfuckwithable/underrated collection of songs that will have you swaying alone in yr apartment, lets face it........your renting

https://antenanumero.bandcamp.com/album/camino-del-sol

Bandcamp Friday Suggestions

So, its Bandcamp Friday and I wanted to point you in a few different directions for music to possibly grab, so here's 11 albums I think are worth scooping :

A.r.t. Wilson - Overworld

This LP/cassette was released in 2014 and its a dreamy/airy collection of new age dance music made with just with drum machine and synths, I've taken many of drive and solo walks listening to this great record. 

https://andras.bandcamp.com/album/overworld

Cindy - Free Advice

Cindy is from San Francisco, they play a minimal version of dream pop, thats set in a dark basement that punks play shows in, not some rich kids ACed trust fund aparment, its lonely, cold and subtle psychedlia in the way Broadcast, Mazzy Star and Velvet Underground are. Cool production, and lovely melodies. 

https://paisleyshirtrecords.bandcamp.com/album/free-advice

All Hits - Men and Their Work 

Full disclosure, the drummer of this band is one of my best friends in the world but it comes from the always dependable Iron Lung records,  so you know its goooood. All Hits is a PDX, post-PUNK band, filled with combustible energy. Jagged guitar lines, propulsive rhythm section all coalesce into a thrilling debut LP.

https://ironlungpv.bandcamp.com/album/men-and-their-work-lp-lungs-160

Shop Regulars - Permanent Regulars

I dont know much about Shop Regulars, the band Mope Grooves posted about em on IG and I checked it out, and was pleasantly surprised to really dig it. Imagine if Elephant 6 was influenced by Velvet Underground and not the Beach Boys. Its ramshackled in the best ways.

https://shopregulars.bandcamp.com/album/permanent-regulars

Tomaga - Extended Play 1

I found out about Tomaga because they open for Stereolab in UK, they play a more experimental side of krautrock. Synths and percussion collide together to create a great flow, its similar to the first 2 Tangerine Dream LPS, which are my favorite of theirs.

https://tomaga.bandcamp.com/album/extended-play-1

MIKE - Weight of the World 

Mike is imo, one of the most exciting rappers/producers right now and this is the follow up to his last project "Tears of Joy". He continues to mine the depths of his soul, exploring depression, death of his mother and once again makes great use of loops/productionto match his lyrical content. Its deeply experimental hiphop that doesn't fold to being accessible to the current trends.

https://mikelikesrap.bandcamp.com/album/weight-of-the-world

Gum Country - Somewhere

Harsh twee is a perfect descriptor for Gum Country debut LP. Consisting of 1/3 of The Courtneys, Gum Country explore a more meditative side of Flying Nunish indie pop. This record is all about catchy hooks, plain spoken lyrics about daily mundaneness and guitarrrrrrrs. With a steady groove and synths popping in and out to add textures, its perfect for a sunny day reading on the couch.

https://gumcountry.bandcamp.com/

Laraaji - Om Namah Shivayha

Reissues or newly released material by Laraaji is a treasure trove of magnificent new age/meditation music, and this LP out on Leaving Records is no exception. With the light drum machine, zither and Laraajis hypnotic vocals is perfect for these soul crushing times. 

https://leavingrecords.bandcamp.com/album/om-namah-shivayah-be-still-and-glow

Telephone Exchange - Maschinelles Leenen

Just recently learned about this band via my bandmate, who heard it on LA'S Part Time Punks radio show. They hail from Mexico City and play a truly chaotic combo of VU drone rock, NZ indie pop with hints of bendy MBV guitars and krautrock. Its a lofi downcast banger of an LP.

https://telephoneexchange.bandcamp.com/album/maschinelles-lernen

Peel Dream Magazine - Surprise EP

PDM are my buds, and I love them and they are releasing a new EP Friday. Its a more chill release, dreamy and bouncey texture with Joe's mantra like melodies AND it features one of my favs he's ever written.

https://peeldreammagazine.bandcamp.com/

J.D. Emmanuel - Wizards

Hopefully soon I am gonna write about my favorite and basically my introduction to new age music but for my last suggestion, I am pointing you in the direction of J.D. Emmanuel's "Wizards". Its definitely on the new ageist side of krautrock, cuz its very meditative and does not ROCK ever. Released in 1982, its a very trancey album thats perfect to zone out or read to it. And its my last suggestion! Enjoy

https://jdemmanuel.bandcamp.com/album/wizards