walking dogs

The InFestDC mixtape showcases 22 of the top live tracks from some of DC's best rising bands, but in case that wasn't enough, I've got a pleasant surprise in store for you. Thanks to Radio CPR, I've now got the chance to share even more audio archives from the city's underground show scene. Check out the first ever broadcast In Yr Basement Radio below for some great B-sides that didn't make the compilation, and don't miss next week's episode on Wednesday, May 13 from 6-7pm ET on 101.7FM in Mt. Pleasant or online here.

Many thanks to Ad Hoc, Washington City Paper, and DC Music Download for their coverage of the InFestDC mixtape, and to Decoder Magazine and DCist for their praises:

"The whole collection is a thrashing but articulate window into the various communities the Fest, and DZ Tapes itself, knit together through their projects." - Decoder Magazine 

"Combining live music with a sense of community organizing and charity are the perfect trio to describe ... the personality of D.C.’s own cultural history" - DCist

Up next on the live event front is the next Escape From DC Brunch show at Hole In The Sky this Sunday, May 10 featuring the public debut of a new project with members of Two Inch Astronaut and Young Rapids called Sloganeers, alongside Chris Taylor in The Creature People and HITS resident guitar wizard Justin Zami (click flyer for details).

In case you missed the last show, we captured the first ever performance by Green God here on VHS for your viewing pleasure:

In other DZ show news, Big Hush take the stage with Beach Fossils and Den-Mate at the Rock & Roll Hotel on Thursday, May 14 (click here for details).

Lastly, the yearly Nelsonville Music Festival in Nelsonville, OH will be taking place May 28-31 and will be hosting some spectacularly talented musicians, including DZ alum Adam Torres. Other acts along for the fun include The Flaming Lips, St. Vincent, Ryley Walker, Michael Hurley, and more.

Before signing off, I wanted to send my gratitude to the Baltimore City Paper for their graciously in-depth review of the Romantic States release, calling it "a seductive, cohesive whole [that] isn't merely impressive, it's quite often hypnotic," and to DC Music Download for including me in their recent piece on Record Store Day.

Until next time, stay sound...

spring forward

DZ16 is currently in production, but before I can spill the beans on that there are plenty of other fun things to cover! For all you lovely people in the DC area, there are some fun gigs coming up in the next week or so, click the flyers below for more details.

On Monday, March 16 at Comet Ping Pong we've got the record release show for local emo darlings Makeshift Shelters, who will be kicking off a tour to celebrate their new album 'Something So Personal' on Broken World Media. The show features support from karate chop punks Taking Meds from New York and DC sludge rockers Polyon.

Then on the following Monday, March 23 at the Beehive, we've got a homecoming show for Swings, who are on tour with Ohio cohorts BBC America. Boston-based Rye Pines and Something Sneaky will also be on the bill for their first times in DC, and the night will be capped off by this city's finest trio of space-traveling post-punks Two Inch Astronaut.

Those of you outside of the District's confines can still enjoy some new music here right from the comfort of your own warm computer c/o It Is Rain In My Face., who quietly put out yet another new album entitled 'The Sound of Us'.

Adam Torres is back home in Austin after playing a slew of shows out on the West Coast. The re-release of his 2006 cult classic 'Nosta Nova' is coming out in April on Misra Records, and to ramp up the excitement Stereogum was nice enough to showcase the track 'Dusty Wing Spirit'.



Decoder Magazine had some kind words for the new Romantic States album:

"The duo craft unwaveringly lighthearted pop tunes...the presentation makes me feel particularly nostalgic for the classic basement band setup — minimal guitar strokes atop steady rock beats, and an infectious youthful bounce as songs travel through their peaks and valleys, drive and rest. Romantic States’ stripped down formula allows space for the hooks to shine through, be it the breezy movement of instrumental interplay or the vulnerable, raw vocal leads. Their shimmery guitar work is particularly delectable during the prettier moments on the record, like the opening of “Fearless Kisses” before the tempo hastens into the soundtrack for a high school summer vacation. Romantic States succeed in deconstructing the superficial complexity that’s become commonplace in today’s candy-like pop music. Romantic States are songwriters with no compulsion to obscure their knack."

And lastly, we've got some fantastic photos from last weekend's Jobs Not War benefit show featuring Big Hush, who played alongside the very talented East Coast acts War On Women, Trophy Wife, and Priests.

Big Hush (courtesy of Andrade)

War On Women (courtesy of Schelldorf)

Trophy Wife (courtesy of Andrade)

Priests (courtesy of Andrade)

big heart

There's been a large outpouring of coverage for Big Hush's Wholes EP and with the cassette release show coming up, I wanted to share some of the lovely responses the release has gotten so far!

"The sound is one that functions not unlike the band’s name would leave you believe. It’s a sound that barrels through a wooly cavern with robust, toothy guitars, hypnotically layered vocals, and glassy, portentous drums...contemplative, staring at the ceiling above your bed sort of music... Every track of the EP feels like it’s peeling away at the initial sound the band serves up – becoming more vulnerable with every song, yet extremely bold at every turn. At end, you are simply left to press play again." – Decoder Magazine

"instantly captivating, wrapping you up like a blanket with fuzzy, shoegazey sonics that gently allow interesting, sweet harmonies to appear, cloud-like...the instrumental melodies resonate directly, creating a balanced sound with a ton of energy bouncing behind the softer feeling, distorted atmospherics...the performances and harmonies are tight, but the record feels energetic, loose, and free. Throughout, Wholes simply feels great to listen to." – DCist

"sunny tunes with remarkable tact and unarguable hooks, turning the blacktop into a bonafide dance party. Smiles on smiles, Big Hush played one of the most memorable sets I’ve seen this year...their execution is invigorating and artful" – Frontier Psychiatrist

(Big Hush courtesy of Lang Kanai)

"a collection of fantastic, slow burning tracks... patiently written and fuzzed out in the best way possible." – Heart And Soul

"wonderfully melodic vocal hooks that stay in your mind long after listening." – 9:30 Club <5k

"Its title track is its most articulate, even while its vocals sound like sighs. As Ludwig’s feathery voice hangs in the air, Wuerker and guitarist Sean Borja go back and forth on guitars in a call-and-response. The bass, played by Chris Taylor, sounds like it’s leading us down a rabbit hole." – WAMU Bandwidth

"a pensive yet compelling release that highlights Big Hush’s range and breadth as composers and songwriters...elegant, smoothed-out, sentimental and sinuous shoegaze...a brilliant blend of droopy, dreamy and fuzzy guitars sweetly bathed by Genevieve Ludwig’s softly-sung folk-pop vocals. Big Hush is a band that needs to be heard" – DC Music Download [1] [2]

Special thanks goes out to all these publications, Hometown Sounds for inclusion in their podcast, and additional coverage from Circuit Sweet, The Jangle Box, and Don't Need No Melody.

Don't forget, you can download the EP for free and get your copy of the cassette at the merch store. Hope to see all my favorite DC people at the release show this Saturday to pick up a tape and catch Chris Forsyth!

frnds nd fmly

The finishing touches are being put on DZ13 in preparation for its release on June 21, but this month has already seen some great work being released from a few friends of the label.

Pregnant has composed personalized songs for over 65 people at this point, and the choice cuts are finally being released on cassette by staring at the ceiling. Check out the complete 'Your Song' compilation below, featuring songs written especially for some nice folks including the gang from Decoder Magazine, FMLY and yours truly (which just so happens to be track #1):



It Is Rain In My Face. has just released another brilliant folktronic set of songs on the 'Stolen Days' EP:



Adam Torres continues to add a new track to his 'Golden Children' demos each Monday. Check out the entire set on his bandcamp, and while you circle the bases on your home run trot take a listen to this week's little number "Moonshot":



Terror Bird is kicking off her European tour this week in support of her new release 'Clubs' on SVN SNS RECORDS:



The seasonal solstice is almost upon us, and very soon the next DZ release will see the light of day, albeit shrouded in haze, but until then I hope you enjoy the new music above as you soak up the summer sun, wade in the warm ocean water and work up your base tan. ☼

Tomorrow Comes Today

It's been a long time coming but the latest DZ TAPES full-length release is out now, showcasing San Jose producer Justin Morales, better known as Seabright. "Tomorrow" features Justin conjuring up a blend of psychedelic pop music for digital dreams by fusing flourishing laptop production with multi-layered live analog manipulation. Many of the tracks are built on a foundation of layered guitars, looped vocals and harmonized synthesizers, then melded together with a collection of samples and noise to construct a brisk and revitalizing soundtrack for a serene summer day surfing circuits both inside and outside.

The album was premiered yesterday on Decoder and is now available for download. A limited run of 50 cassettes will start shipping later this month and can be ordered here.

"The shoegaze-pop jams of San Jose dreamer Justin Morales are just perfect for the mid-summer blues, when it’s almost too hot to go outside but much too pretty to stay inside. With 'Tomorrow' on the horizon we can slip into a cool, refreshing sound that turns sweat to lemonade and stings the eyes slightly before quenching the tongue." - Decoder

 

One more shout out goes to our friends at Ad Hoc for their write-up of the music video for It Is Rain In My Face.'s "Duck In A Row", which they say "offers a visual exploration of the rhythms and ambience dictated by the song, using rhythmic editing and a color palette lush with green. Delving into both artistic manipulation of perspective and our physical manipulation of the world-- or in this case, of snow-- the video is a cerebral backdrop for Jones' experimental pop."

Press

DZ06 has been receiving great praise since it's release late last month. Check out what some of our favorite publications have been saying, and check out the album for free on bandcamp.

DZ Tapes recently released what may very well be my favorite album of the year, It Is Rain In My Face.'s self-titled LP - Portals & verb/re/verb

Jones rises to new challenges as a songwriter while fleshing out the charming vibe of his previous work. - Ad Hoc

Mat has cultivated the captivating interplay of vocals and production that he so expertly balanced on 'Small Prayer', made more textural and dynamic by the use of live instrumentation in determining the direction of songs on his self-titled debut full length. - Decoder Magazine 

With this self-titled release, It Is Rain In My Face. develops a musical vocabulary that includes soul, chillwave, folk, and electronica, and synthesizes it into a singular product that, with any luck, will live on in the public consciousness. - In Your Speakers

This stuff is really listenable and good for any hangout session. - Cassette Gods Reviews

The DZ TAPES cassette giveaway is coming to an end. For your chance to win a free cassette combo package, just head to the DZ TAPES Facebook page, click the  button, and post your favorite album from 2012 to be entered for a chance to win. In closing, thanks to Mondo Nation for the nice long-distance chat.

It Is Rain In My Face.

I'm proud to announce the next tape coming out in August, featuring the budding electro-blues funneled from a Brooklyn bonfire, Mat Jones presents 12 new tracks from the new self-titled release from It Is Rain In My Face.

The glamorous group over at Decoder Magazine were kind enough to premiere the first single off the upcoming album entitled "Duck In A Row".




To kick off the cassette release, It Is Rain In My Face. will be playing a secret basement show with Pressed And and Romantic States on August 17 at the Dougout in Washington, DC.

Lastly, the free cassette giveaway is still going on. Simply  our Facebook page then post your 2012 album-of-the-year to be automatically signed up for a chance to win a tape prize package containing stickers, buttons, and copies of each of our first four releases.