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After a long string of self-released EPs and full-length’s, Brooklyn DIY darling Porches has released his first label-supported album. Aaron Maine is a synthesizer-focused singer and producer that makes incredibly sleek and heartfelt bedroom pop reminiscent of underground pop from the 1980’s. His newest album Pool opens up with the stellar track “Underwater” which is a pulsing, syrupy track with emotive vocals that are influenced by R&B but offer a more indie leaning. The drums are sparse and well calculated with a solid groove that features a few interesting flourishes to keep the listener interested. Maine is the longtime boyfriend of Greta Kline also known as Frankie Cosmos who contributes vocals on a number of tracks on the album giving a layer of depth to the album. The album is most definitely a lo-fi record but has enough pop accessibility to crossover into audiences who aren’t fully immersed into the modern NYC indie scene. With the album’s minimal and homespun aesthetic, Pool is undoubtedly the best representation of how Brooklyn sounds in this day and age. With Porches being the project that has gotten the most critical acclaim and attention alongside Frankie Cosmos, it shows that the DIY scene might be about to burst, giving all these great acts the attention they deserve.
Virgina-based dream pop group Wild Nothing has been paving the way for the new, dreamy sound of the Brooklyn scene. On his third full-length, Life of Pause bandleader Jack Tatum continues and extends his dreamy sound. The opening track “Reichpop” samples heavily from Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians” and creates an expansive atmosphere to kick off the record. The lo-fi charm on this record has been swapped out for a clearer sound for Wild Nothing. With the more transparent sound for Tatum, we hear a more post-punk influence than his other releases. Though Wild Nothing has been switching up his sound and keeping it fresh for fans, Life of Pause still is not as charming as his earlier releases. But even though this sound is not as fresh as Gemini, there are still some incredibly promising moments on Wild Nothing’s third full length.
Canadian electronic duo Junior Boys have been making strange and soulful synthpop since the early 2000’s but their fifth studio record Big Black Coat might be their most realized work. With crooning vocals and proto-house production, Junior Boys have a deceivingly poppy sound with some off-putting tendencies. Though the duo use 808’s to produce almost every since one of their tracks, the strange samples and dated production has the same appeal as early Ariel Pink work where it rides the line of likeability and kitsch. Though the album may be halfway tongue in cheek, each track is incredibly catchy and fun to listen to. The grooves are very similar to Caribou but the minimalism and darkness is more akin to outsider house artists rather than dance floor hits. Regardless, Big Black Coat is one of the most unique synth-pop records of the year so fart and exceeds in its ability to be simultaneously catchy and strange.
by James Calvet