Category: Album Reviews

old-fashioned (and neo-modern) record reviews

Album Reviews

Dallas Acid’s Spa Hunter LP is an ASMR Wonder

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods.  I apologize in advance to anyone who is just learning about autonomous sensory meridian response from this piece. Once you start looking up examples of it on YouTube, you’ll never escape the black hole. The sensation is inexplicably pleasurable, described on Wikipedia as being “low-grade euphoria,” brought on by soft stimuli, such as whispers or ambient noises. Texas-based Dallas Acid … Continue reading Dallas Acid’s Spa Hunter LP is an ASMR Wonder

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Album Reviews, Zines

Ambient is the Spirit of Music

Úlfur The world finds itself fortunate to experience new records by Alessandro Cortini and Úlfur side by side. Their simultaneous creation is coincidental, as well as their nearby release dates, but in tandem they unlock the interminable beauty of the quotidian. Walk outside when the sun is highest. Close your eyes and let the shadows of trees flicker the light shining through your eyelids. You … Continue reading Ambient is the Spirit of Music

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Album Reviews, Zines

Gyda Valtysdottir Reinterprets Classical Compositions as Modern Masterpieces

I always felt I had done myself a disservice by not listening to more classical music in my youth. I suppose popular opinion in high school says that it’s boring, but the band nerds always knew: classical music is actually the most dramatic. The new record from múm contributor, Gyda Valtysdottir titled Epicycle was a great opportunity for me to not only immerse myself in … Continue reading Gyda Valtysdottir Reinterprets Classical Compositions as Modern Masterpieces

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Album Reviews, Zines

Pixx Pushes Pop to the Extreme on The Age of Anxiety

The new record from British artist Pixx came out earlier this summer, but it seems to become more relevant across the pond every day. It is titled The Age of Anxiety, but feels less like popping a Xanax and more like an impending technicolor panic attack. Pixx pushes pop music to the extreme, and it pays off in this well-crafted, repeat-worthy LP.  Two years ago, … Continue reading Pixx Pushes Pop to the Extreme on The Age of Anxiety

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Album Reviews, Zines

May Roosevelt Speaks in Synths on New LP, Junea

Photo by: Marielise Goulene Originally appeared on Grimy Goods.  They say that music is a universal language, and that could not be more true for today’s album premiere. Hailing from Thessaloniki, Greece, the artist and composer May Roosevelt began as a violinist when she was 12 years old, but eventually picked up the theremin, which she has since mastered. While it is one of the … Continue reading May Roosevelt Speaks in Synths on New LP, Junea

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Album Reviews

Making New Mistakes with Terra Lightfoot

It’s hard to set your expectations too high when it comes to Terra Lightfoot. Her sound can be easily compared to The Black Keys, with a mastery of guitars and pounding kick drums, and her new album delivers on all fronts. On New Mistakes, she reaches new milestones with her evocative songwriting, singing about heartache and emotional catharsis with an equal amount of her signature grit.  … Continue reading Making New Mistakes with Terra Lightfoot

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Album Reviews, Zines

Sand in the Speakers, or the Fuzz of Beaches

Listening to Beaches, it is natural to let your mind wander. Their overwhelming fuzz is calming, as if opening your awareness to things unseen. That may sound similar to the effects of a mind-altering drug, but it is more enriching as pure, unadulterated rock and roll. Take a dive into the band’s latest double LP, Second of Spring; it is a creation of pulsing reverb and … Continue reading Sand in the Speakers, or the Fuzz of Beaches

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Album Reviews

As the River At Its Source by Minais B

Abandon the idea of discomfort. Minais B, also known as Villads Klint, is a Copenhagen-based artist whose new release will not allow you space for such a concept. As The River At Its Source is a sixteen minute long ambient drone manifesto, narrated by a woman with an alarmingly steady tone despite the chaos surrounding her. This record is confrontational, not unlike the musings of Jenny … Continue reading As the River At Its Source by Minais B

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Album Reviews, Zines

Four New Songs From Raener Make a Cohesive Debut EP

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods.  The new EP from local four-piece Raener is a big deal. It came together a few months ago at a serene beach house in Santa Barbara. This was after, according to my calculation, the band–consisting of Daniel Fox, Will van Boldrik, Zach Bilson, and Daniel Vanchieri–had played every single intimate venue in the city, and just before they departed on … Continue reading Four New Songs From Raener Make a Cohesive Debut EP

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Album Reviews

Fink’s Fearless Resurgam

Fearlessness is not just doing the extraordinary; often it can mean the exact opposite. One must know fear in order to overcome it, after all, and small, deliberate steps will still lead you out of the woods. Why not follow the rhythm of Fink’s new record Resurgam? This record is an ethereal rebirth. Each track is stripped back and played in seemingly half-time, fast enough … Continue reading Fink’s Fearless Resurgam

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