Split EP - Droughts/William Bonney (Error, 2012)
Droughts and William Bonney play heavy, technical hardcore with more than a smidge of emo thrown in. I haven't listened to many things like this since high school and early college. The screams are piercing, the guitars are intricate and melodic, and the drumming is off kilter, making for an appealingly nostalgic combo. Both bands pull of this style with class and expertise. I only slightly prefer Droughts due to how much the guitar parts rule, but both of these bands are excellent. Remember Drowningman, Shai Hulud and early Poison the Well? This split brings me back to those days.
Itto EP - Itto (self-released, 2012)
Here's some more melodic hardcore with a definite lean towards emo. These guys are some real musicians. The guitar noodling here is catchy and intricate, the drumming is ridiculous, and the vocals bring to mind 21st century Shai Hulud. The melodic guitar parts and mathy time changes are a welcome combination in my book. This shit's real good. My early college heart is soaring.
Destination Ecstasy - Pink Playground (Mexican Summer, 2011)
Pink Playground's Destination Ecstasy surprised me with its My Bloody Valentine guitars and Disintegration era Cure bass lines and chord progressions. Everything else is incredibly difficult to discern, as the production is insanely hazy and distant. Seems like there are probably some nice, drawn melodies here and there, but they are buried. This is some high quality, dreamy shoegaze that has me interested in whatever the band is going to do next.
Wind Hand Caught in the Door - South South Million (Triple Down, 2012)
Finally I can post about this album. I've been waiting for an official release of this record for about two years now, and am saddened that it is exclusively digital. South South Million are Trevor Naud and Daniel Clark of Detroit's best band, Zoos of Berlin. Wind Hand Caught in the Door is their debut LP, though it has been 10+ years in the making. Sample-based music is commonplace in the "indie" scene now, but considering how long ago these songs were first composed, they were truly ahead of their time, and still sound unique and innovative to this day. Wind Hand Caught in the Door certainly has a vintage feel, but the nearest thing I can compare these experimental yet entirely melodic and beautiful sound collages is to a slowed down version of The Avalanches' seminal 2001 LP, Since I Left You. The comparisons between the two are vague, and what South South Million did here is still completely unique. Wind Hand Caught in the Door is easily the best thing to come out in 2012 thus far.
No comments:
Post a Comment