4.26.2016

levitation

Quite a few fun things to get to, number one being the next DZ release by the illustrious Half Waif, project of the incredibly talented Nandi Rose Plunkett. A lover of synthesizers and pop tunes, her music features richly layered compositions of various origins. Placeless, and yet the product of many places: the imaginative wilds of Northern Massachusetts; Ohio's stark fields; Brooklyn buzzing at night; and ancestral homes across the ocean. The resulting work brims over with sounds: underwater echoes of Celtic melodies; mossy, blinking electronic soundscapes; and the ultra-sad chord changes of 19th-century art music. A carefully crafted glass menagerie of song.

Three singles have premiered in the lead up to the album's release on May 6, check them out below c/o Stereogum, The Line Of Best Fit, and Brightest Young Things:


"one of the more inventive indie acts rising up... a deceptively huge sound" - The Line Of Best Fit
"[a] bewitching Brooklyn-based trio that blend fluttery, glitchy beats with classical textures... 'Nest' blends strings and electronics together in a way akin to Bjork’s “Hyperballad” or some of Aphex Twin’s more lush tracks. Plunkett places a disarming level of emphasis on different syllables, as if she’s pressing buttons with her voice. She warps, twists and wraps her vocals around electronic instrumentation like it’s trapped deep in machinery, and the whole track seems to teeter between serene and hyper-robotic tones." - Stereogum 
"every so often, a song comes along that completely knocks the wind out of me because it just sounds really cool. Half Waif’s 'Nest' is one of those songs; it initiates with this slow, plodding beat, a single, crystalline voice. That sound continues to grow and multiply, until it becomes an orchestral, beat-inflicted but synth-driven song that’s atmospheric without fading into the background. There’s a universe inside of “Nest,” one that’s crafted out of small sounds made to look huge when they’re all pieced together. It’s the kind of single that I can listen to ten times over before I even think about its lyrics, the kind of song that makes me want to watch Half Waif’s creative process in action." - Stereogum
In addition to the kind words above, "Nest" was named one of Stereogum's 5 Best Songs Of The Week, "Overthrown" was track of the day on Elevtrtrax, and Nandi was featured in an interview segment on Alt-Philanthropy.

The release will be celebrated with a gig on May 12 at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn w/ Zula, Tigue, and twig twig, and more tour dates for the east coast and midwest can be found below:


~

Just down I-95 in the District, a couple great shows are lined up for the next few weeks:

Thursday, April 28 at Black Cat
Hemlines w/ Shellshag, Teenage Halloween, and Foster Carrots
(click here to RSVP)

Wednesday, May 4 at The Lilly Trotter Tea Lounge
Hellier Ulysses, Go Cozy, Time Toss, and Tall Friend
(click flyer to RSVP)


Friday, May 6 at Above The Bayou
Mal Devisa and Romantic States w/ Cold Foamers and Baby Bry Bry & The Apologists
(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, May 7 at Above The Bayou (R.I.P.)
Big Hush w/ LVL UP, Furnsss, and Paperhaus
(click here to RSVP)

Sunday, May 8 at Hole In The Sky
Escape From DC Brunch XIII: Pregnant, The UVF Rays, and Suffer Dragon
(click here to RSVP)

Previously on Escape From DC Brunch we hosted Philadelphia Collins, Snail Mail, and Dove Lady and our resident photographer Bang snapped some solid pics, check some of the choice cuts below:


Philadelphia Collins

Snail Mail

Dove Lady

Elsewhere around the DMV, number one stunnas Big Hush were featured on NPR Music's "All Songs Considered" for their cover of Nirvana's "Sifting" for the third tribute compilation by Robotic Empire celebrating the godfathers of grunge.

Stream the track below and take a listen to the rest of the album featuring covers by Thou, Beach Slang, Basement, Mean Jeans, Daughters, and more:


Big Hush were also given a little shout-out alongside FlasherPriests, Bless, and more on the Bandcamp blog in a piece on DC's punk scene that's definitely worth the quick read, as is the kind write-up of "Who's Smoking Your Spirit?" by Sonic Masala.

Up in Baltimore Romantic States put on a show at the Mobtown Studios which you can see and hear in the video below:


And lastly, today I'll begin my road trip down to Levitation in Austin, TX. Can't wait to catch up with friends at stops in Atlanta and New Orleans, and beyond excited to see some incredible acts including Brian Wilson (performing Pet Sounds), Animal CollectiveFlying LotusShabazz PalacesOneohtrix Point NeverTy Segall & The MuggersWeenCourtney BarnettParquet CourtsHeron OblivionBorisRoyal Trux, and many more... if you'll be there feel free to hit me up~

4.15.2016

overthrown

Half Waif
Probable Depths
[DZ23]
out 5/6
ltd ed 200 c34
click here for pre-order


are you ready for summer?
more exciting things to come...

4.01.2016

in the pines

The limited copies of Shya's new album have come and gone almost as quickly as the month of March. And no surprise after the generous album premiere on The FADER, in addition to pleasantries from United CassettesAustin Town Hall, and Very Tiny Songs.
"catchy as hell... the beautiful thing about this album is that the ephemeral nature of Sher's musings seem to have been captured in a pure state... an anthem for acknowledging loneliness and the need for human connection" - The FADER

The band will be down in Harrisonburg, VA for MACROCK XIX tonight along with Mal Devisa, Hemlines, Bless, Dogs On Acid, Wolf Eyes, Container, and a bunch of other great bands for the first night of two awesome days of music.

Meanwhile in the DMV we've got a couple things to look forward to in the first week of April:

Sunday, April 3 at Hole In The Sky
Escape From DC Brunch XII: Philadelphia Collins, Snail Mail, and Dove Lady
(click flyer to RSVP)


Thursday, April 7 at The Crown in Baltimore
Jowe Head, Olivia Neutron John, Expert Alterations, and Nice Breeze
(click flyer to RSVP)


With the next release right around the corner, I'm immensely thrilled for what's to come, but for now I'd like to leave you with a look back to that time Laser Background played my house: