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For Albuquerque, New Mexico new wave/synth-pop band Lindy Vision, family casts a shadow over everything. The trio—comprised of three Black Native sisters, Dorothy (Dee Dee), Natasha (Na), and Carla Cuylear—has spent the last six years honing their unique sonic palette, a mix of dark ‘80s new wave, bouncy synth-pop, and ethereal indie-rock that has drawn comparisons to Santigold, M.I.A., Devo, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more. In that time, their music has landed them on bills supporting Spoon, Durand Jones and the Indications, A Tribe Called Red, Magic Giant & more. On their new EP, Adult Children Part II, Lindy Vision continues to create sweeping, synth-heavy soundscapes that provide a foundation for their introspective, emotionally raw musings on adult life after a tumultuous upbringing.
Adult Children Part II was recorded at the legendary Sonic Ranch outside of El Paso, Texas, a residential recording studio complex that has generated records from Bon Iver, Jenny Lewis, Parquet Courts, Big Thief and more. Lindy Vision enlisted producer Enrique Tena Padilla (Thee Oh Sees, Wand, GOGGS) for both Adult Children EPs, as well as engineer Gerardo Ordonez (Bon Iver, Deerhunter, Parquet Courts) to create a record as sonically expansive as it is explosive.
The new EP is a companion piece to the trio’s 2019 EP, Adult Children Part I, and continues the band’s exploration of life as adult children of alcoholics. Inspired by Dr. Janet Woititz’ book, Adult Children of Alcoholics, Lindy Vision has crafted two strikingly honest records that serve as pillars of empowerment and acceptance. “We were hesitant for a long time to talk about being children of alcoholics, because that can be a really shameful thing for families,” says Dee Dee. “When we were growing up we were always taught to not talk about it or social services could come take the family apart. With these records, we’re coming out as adult children of alcoholics, but also showcasing how far we’ve come and not letting that limit us.”
Throughout the record, Lindy Vision discuss different everyday aspects of life and how their upbringing as children of alcoholics affected the way they respond to the world as adults, primarily when it comes to concepts of trust and stability. The EP kicks off with the noisy, distorted “Gamblers,” a blunt investigation of the dangers inherent in sexual relationships. On “Abandonment,” Dee Dee explores the sense of desperation that can accompany intimacy. “A large part of Adult Children of Alcoholics is about not feeling safe and the way that can lead to feelings of abandonment. If you get into an argument and don’t have that clarification that the relationship is still okay despite the fight, you end up feeling abandoned,” says Dee Dee. On the back half of the record, standout track “Poison” perfects the art of pairing dark lyrics with upbeat music. Carla’s pounding rhythm section lays the foundation for Na’s understated but mobile guitar lines and Dee Dee’s candid lyricism as she sings, “I got habits, I got some bad habits / I got things I need, I need everything / I’ll kill you if you stay long enough.”
The driving force behind Lindy Vision is the trio’s bond as sisters, a tight-knit solidarity formed during childhood that has carried through their lives and into their career as a band. “The instruments we play are reflective of our family dynamic. Dee Dee is the oldest and the lead singer; she’s our leader. She’s always been that way for our family. Na plays guitar, she’s the accompaniment & flair—the middle child. As the youngest, I pick up the rest of the pieces, making arrangements and doing accessory synth and drum parts. It’s very symbolic of our family order,” says Carla.
Adult Children Part II stands as Lindy Vision’s most fully-realized project to date, showcasing the trio at their most sonically versatile and emotionally honest. It’s an uncompromising look at the ripple effect of alcoholism from a stark bare first-person perspective. “As we’ve grown as a band, we’ve learned more about ourselves and what we’re willing to talk about. We’ve opened up more and have become more honest. This is our most authentic piece, both as a band and as sisters.”
Adult Children Part II is out March 6th, 2020.
