Sunday, September 16, 2012

Discoverer 41: new indie findings

Here we go! New band proposals for your listening pleasure!

The Soft Pack. Formed in San Diego in 2007 but based in L.A., they began as a duo, becoming the current quartet a year after. Initially named The Muslims, their debut EP arrived in 2009, but due to "being disgusted and exhausted by the ignorant, often racist, bullshit that came out of people's mouths" they changed their name, releasing another EP and self-titled debut album in 2010. A lot of touring and studio work followed, with the result being "Strapped", second LP out in two weeks on Mexican Summer. Without leaving their indie rock's fuzz, with a garage and vital spirit, music has now evolved into a more richer and diverse territory. Looking forward to The Soft Pack comeback!
The Soft Pack - Saratoga 
Arc in Round. We move to Philadelphia to meet Jeff Ziegler, producer of The War on Drugs or Kurt Vile, and leader of this very particular combo. Formerly known as shoegazers Relay (2005-2010), Arc in Round became alive in 2010, when they released their EP "Diagonal Fields", followed past year with "II". Now the transition is completed with their self-titled album, out now on La Société Expéditionnaire. A sound as hard to describe as not falling for, think on Joy Division meeting Stereolab (hear singer Mikele Edwards amidst loops and effects), or Sonic Youth experimenting with dreampop. Music as vibrant as haunting.

StarTropics. And we finally end in Chicago with a band discovered thanks to the indie wisdom of skatterbrain's website. Not much information to explain about this unsigned foursome, so I'll focus on the music, so far just a four tune collection you can grab freely, which seems to aim for capturing the essences of post-punk gloom and blend it with the twee-pop warmness of Sarah Records. From the jangling delicacy and sweetness of “Into The Night” (these whispering boy/girl voices) to the 80's sounding bleakness of "Chapel Hill", there's a lot of promise in this band. Hoping for more very soon!
spring 2012 demo by StarTropics 

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