Dream-pop music is often judged by the vivid sonic worlds it can create, crystallized sounds that take shape as you listen, by that standard Sleep Still’s new song “The Panoramic” flows with elegance and swells into a wonderful soundscape. Using sharp synth sustains and liquid-like electric guitars buzzing, Sleep Still paints the track as it rides a mighty beat and follows the refined vocals of lead singer Mariam McCarthy towards the song’s whirlwind instrumental finale.
It may seem as if Wyatt Blair unlocked his hook-filled guitar pop from a time vault. But upon first listen, the tireless singer-songwriter’s latest single, “Cherry Rose,” sounds very much akin to this city’s late-seventies power-pop roots—its crunchy guitars and compressed drum sound could be easily mistaken as a Bomp/Elektra Records long-lost gem. READ MORE…
John Isaac Watters keeps his eccentricities at a grounded state in “If I Were the Smoke.” An introspective look into a debilitated relationship, Watters – who goes by Rainstorm Brother with producer Tyler Chester – explores the reasons why Watters keeps himself at arm’s length from someone he loves. The balladeer’s gruff, yet dextrous vocal delivery, which reminds me of a younger Tim Buckley, usurps his poetic sensibilities while a murky undercurrent of modular electronics and discordant chamber arrangements spread a tenebrous ambiance. READ MORE…