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 Flasher, Priests, 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 Collective, Flying Lotus, Shabazz Palaces, Oneohtrix Point Never, Ty Segall & The Muggers, Ween, Courtney Barnett, Parquet Courts, Heron Oblivion, Boris, Royal Trux, and many more... if you'll be there feel free to hit me up~

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 Cassettes, Austin 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:

 

trying

First off, my apologies for totally slacking on the blog front. Things have shifted into the next gear and while it's great that there are plenty of fun things to share (see below), plastering them on the antiquated blogspot has fallen down my list of priorities. Now with that being said, here's a look at the goods...

[DZ21] Mal Devisa is the project of Deja Carr from Northampton, MA in which she conjures up a soulful mix of driving bass melodies, funk-laden chord progressions, and hypnotizing harmonies to create her own uniquely sincere and entrancing musical poetry. In conjunction with her phenomenal new full-length album Kiid, DZ TAPES is releasing this self-titled compilation cassette that collects her two 2014 EPs along with some previously unreleased tracks.

You can catch Mal Devisa at the Women’s Jazz Festival in New York, NY on 3/21 with Alicia Hall Moran, and at MACROCK XIX in Harrisonburg, VA on 4/1 with a slew of great acts including Shana Falana, Abdu Ali, Dogs On Acid, Container, The Obsessives, and more.

[DZ22] Shya is Nate Sher from Oberlin, OH, and his debut long play "Trying" is a mellow yet emotive slacker rock gem. This bedroom pop project is teeming with candid lyricism and luscious chord progressions that will surely rouse your heart from the doldrums of winter just in time to soak up the bittersweet sadness of springtime. The full album will be released later this month, but for now you can check out "Food Poisoning" which premiered on ThrdCoast just a few weeks ago.

Shya will be hitting the road to play a few out-of-town dates later this month, stay woke:

3/20 in Athens, OH w/ Yours Are The Only Ears, Frozen Lawn, and Wasted Champs
3/22 in Boston, MA w/ We Can All Be Sorry, Ricecrackers, and LINA
3/24 in Philadelphia, PA w/ Joy Again and Addie Pray
3/25 in Washington, DC w/ Swings, Long Beard, and Fraternal Twin
3/26 in Kenyon, OH w/ Food Court and Teddy Farkas

* * *

Big Hush are also busting out into the wild for a spell in March, touring the coast and going as far west as my alma mater in bobcat country.

3/11 in Baltimore, MD w/ Outer Spaces, Bless, and Which Magic
3/12 in Richmond, VA w/ Pinkwash, Mad Existence, Burn/Ward, and Conflation
3/13 in Athens, OH w/ Governess, Just Curry, and Pasture Weeds
3/16 in Brooklyn, NY w/ Teeth People, WVFRMS, and Adios Ghost
3/17 in Easthapmton, MA w/ Digital Prisoners Of War, Halfsour, and Temple Cats
3/18 in Philadelphia, PA w/ Marge, Hot Tears, and Lonesome Leash
3/20 in Washington, DC w/ Mercury Girls and Airhead DC
3/25 in Washington, DC w/ Wildhoney and Expert Alterations

* * *

And finally, here's a few more DC gigs coming up to close out the last couple weeks of winter. Check back soon for more goodies in the near future~

3/11 at St. Stephen's - Hemlines w/ Pinkwash, Valencia, and Mirror Motives
3/13 at Hole In The Sky - Escape From DC Brunch XI w/ Big Huge, Bleary Eyed, and Kid Claws
3/17 at The Lilly Trotter Tea Lounge - Beverly Tender, High Bloom, Foozle, and Golden Papi
3/19 at Songbyrd Music House - Nice Breeze w/ Puff Pieces and Jack On Fire

take my hand and run

Plenty of good shows coming up, so let's take a look at what's going on with the DZ crew in the next few weeks, but ICYMI Romantic States have just put out a fantastic new 7" on Nebraskan Coast, which you can stream/download below. The band is playing a few gigs this weekend to support the release, so make sure to check them out if you're on the East Coast!

Thursday, January 21 at The Candy Barrel in New Brunswick, NJ

w/ Rita Fishbone, Halfsour, and Lil Nae Nae & The Jegadone Boys

(click here to RSVP)

Friday, January 22 at Alphaville in Brooklyn, NY

w/ Lame Drivers, Halfsour, and Summer Saints

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, January 23 at The Crown in Baltimore, MD

7" Record Release w/ Wildhoney, Halfsour, and Quitter

(click flyer to RSVP)

Friday, January 29 at Songbyrd Music House in Washington, DC

Big Hush w/ Soda and Kid Claws

(click flyer for details)

Saturday, January 30 at Bathtub Republic in Washington, DC

Nice Breeze w/ Go Cozy, Grace Vonderkuhn, and What Moon Things

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, February 6 at First Unitarian in Philadelphia, PA

Two Piece Fest IX w/ Romantic States and more

(click here to RSVP)

Sunday, February 7 at Black Cat in Washington, DC

Two Inch Astronaut LP Release w/ Hemlines and Laughing Man

(click here to RSVP)

More fun things are in the works for the coming months, but for now I just want to send a final thank you shout out to Post-Trash, Wake The Deaf, Circuit Sweet, and DC Music Download for the kind press on some of the DZ homies~

universal friend rays

Starting off 2016 with another new cassette - The UVF Rays, DC's scion of psychedelia Ryan Witt, is back with a fresh batch of introspective bliss. This new elixir takes the listener for a guided meditative exploration On The Sense Of Self, both shining down from the swelling sun as serene beams of reflective poetry and rising up from tranquil depths as euphonious waves calmly crashing on far distant shores of the imagination.

Each translucent purple tape has its own unique cover and was hand-dubbed-with-love right here at DZ HQ. Come celebrate the release with Adult Mom, Jawbreaker Reunion, Bad Moves, and Julian on January 6 at Above The Bayou in DC (click flyer to RSVP).

Here's a couple more shows coming up that should be on your calendars:

Friday, January 8 at CD Cellar in Arlington, VA

The Final Shows (R.I.P.) w/ Nice Breeze and more

(click here to RSVP)

Sunday, January 10 at Hole In The Sky

Escape From DC Brunch X: Long Beard, Lunch Cult, and Pisca

(click flyer to RSVP)

Wednesday, January 13 at Comet Ping Pong

Romantic States w/ Free Cake For Every Creature and Boon

(click flyer to RSVP)

2015 was great for music, and the final year-end accolades have trickled in. Special shout out to WAMU Bandwidth and Gimme Tinnitus for including some DZ artists on their lists of favorite songs from last year, and to Nooga, Post-Trash, and Washington City Paper for their recognition as well:

"Big Hush, with “Who’s Smoking Your Spirit?”, have cemented their status as one of the most exciting, moody and intricate bands to come out of the DC scene in recent memory. It is not often that a band can almost entirely change, speed up and distort their sound but remain entirely entrancing to listeners. Fans of ‘Wholes’ may need a little time to adjust to Big Hush’s new sounds but it is worth the wait." - Post-Trash 

"[Big Hush] knows how to submerge a great melody in a viscous slick of crunchy guitar riffs and thundering percussive blasts, while still allowing it to rear its head from time to time without throwing off the balance of the music. Everything is cranked up to 11, but that doesn't mean they've forgotten how to be subtle in their own raucous way. Despite their punk exuberance, these songs reveal themselves fully only after repeated listens. There are movements and slight shifts in rhythmic perspective that can be easily overlooked because of the ferocity of the band's creative drive, but they're able to maintain a cohesive melodic determination without sacrificing their heady and often-unexpected interpretations of their collective influences." - Nooga

"What’s most impressive about Big Hush’s Who’s Smoking Your Spirit? is the band’s fierce drive to reinvent itself. On last year’s Wholes, the local quartet explored a twangy, reverb-heavy sound, as if it had just completed a Ph.D. dissertation in shoegaze. With a shoegaze revival in full swing, it’d be easy for the band to keep milking that sound, but instead it forged ahead, exploring new sonic soundscapes that are far noisier—and poppier—than anything it’s done before." - Washington City Paper 

"In 2015, Hemlines glowed from its pedestal as one of the best bands in years to hoist the flag of feminist punk in D.C. Its blistering five-song EP, All Your Homes, announces the band and vocalist/guitarist Katie Park as an artery pulsing with rage and power. There’s real dexterity here; Hemlines shifts from easy to rough, from sunnier no-wave guitar work from Park and fellow guitarist Ian Villeda, to roaring distortion and big chords, all backed by Dana Liebelson’s bass high in the mix and the rock-steady drums of scene veteran Julie Yoder." - Washington City Paper

Since we last spoke, the Big Hush and Hemlines tapes have both sold out from the merch store, so before signing off, one more huge thank-you goes out to all of you who have supported the label as it approaches its five-year (!) anniversary in 2016. To show my thanks, I've picked 15 lesser-known releases from 2015 that I enjoyed and made a playlist - don’t let the year end without checking these out if you haven’t already (click image below to download).

Cheers to another trip around the sun set to a soundtrack of fantastic new music! ツ

who's smoking your spirit?

ICYMI: The new Big Hush EP is out now in a limited run of 100 gorgeous goldenrod cassettes! After all the pre-orders and tapes that were snatched up at the release show (which received some kind words in the Washington Post), there are less than 10 copies left in the merch store, though you can still get them directly from the band at all upcoming gigs. ✌

"Who's Smoking Your Spirit?" has already received some solid coverage from the likes of WAMU Bandwidth, Post-Trash [1] [2], Washington City Paper [1] [2], and DC Music Download [1] [2].

"[Who's Smoking Your Spirit?] exposes the band’s knack for infectious hooks. On “Cold Shoulder,” pulsing guitar and bass ride distortion to the front of the mix, while the dual vocals seem to exist on another plane entirely. Then, more than two-and-a-half minutes into the track’s gurgle and feedback, a pop song breaks out, with Ludwig momentarily winning a battle with the music, long enough to deliver the album’s catchiest refrain. It’s just a moment, of course. Big Hush still dabbles in shoegaze even when the drift and reverb seems to be holding a decent pop song’s head underwater." - Washington City Paper

"The EP’s five tracks, which merge together like ingredients in a murky stew, sound like an updated version of [My Bloody Valentine]" - WAMU Bandwidth

"Halfway between shoegaze and surf guitar is Big Hush, a DC band that makes a lot more noise than their name would suggest." - Black Cat 

"Mournful, sighing melodies sink deep as they play with surf and post-rock rhythms, while shoegaze feels more and more limited as a descriptor with every release." - Washington City Paper

Thanks to all the publications above and to everyone who has supported the release thus far! Stay tuned for more gigs in the near future, and don't miss these great lineups coming to the District:

Saturday, December 12 at Songbyrd Music House

Hemlines w/ The Effects, Wing Dam, and Wet Brain

(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, December 13 at Hole In The Sky

Escape From DC Brunch IX: Princess Reason, Go Cozy, and Airhead DC

(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, December 20 at Songbyrd Music House

Rick (from Pile), Snail Mail, Mattress Financial, and Charlie Down

(click flyer to RSVP)

And if all that weren't enough, there's one more bit of happy news coming out of Romantic States' camp. The band was able to raise enough money from fan purchases to adopt a manatee through the Save The Manatee Club! Margarito is an endangered West Indian manatee, known for being very curious, friendly, and social. He can be identified by a number of scars from watercraft strikes, and from his missing left flipper, which he lost after it was badly entangled in fishing line. Please dispose of your fishing line properly and be kind to animals!

dead alive

And without skipping a beat, I'm happy to announce that DZ18 will be the first release for DC's Nice Breeze. The veteran three-piece stir up lo-fi, surf-tinged punk cuts that weave droning hooks with laconic, off-the-cuff vocals and take you for a buoyant ride on an ever-cresting wave inside the bonzai pipeline of your mind.

 

"Schroedinger's Cat's Grave" is out November 14, with the release show that night at Hot Tub House with manatee mommies BRNDA, the first-ever live performance from Scanners, as well as Vile Creature and Bakerman from up north. Don't miss this chance to grip the garish gold cassette before it ships - click here for details.

The week before on November 8 at Showtime, just as the need hot and hearty stews is picking up, the DC Rock'n'Roll Chili Cookbook will be released, featuring an awesome cassette compilation and chili recipes from some great local bands, including new additions to the DZ family Nice Breeze and Hemlines. All proceeds from the project go to benefit local non-profit Bread For The City, which aims to provide vulnerable residents of Washington, DC with comprehensive services, including food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

Continuing further back in time, just earlier that day the eighth installment of the Escape From DC Brunch show will be going down at Hole In The Sky (click flyer for details). Come out to see WYDYDE, Great Smokey and Baby Bry Bry & The Apologists, then grab some chili down the road.

Since their own release show last month Hemlines have been staying busy, with progressive coverage in WAMU Bandwidth and another gig lined up for November 21 at Rock & Roll Hotel, the band continues its roll with relative ease.

Now that DZ HQ is up and running at HITS, I'm hoping to get more projects out on a consistent basis. Part of that hurdle is going to be catching up with the backlog of recordings from the monthy (anti-)Brunch shows. Thankfully, we've started picking up the pace, and I'm happy to share with you this video of Big Hush performing "Walk On" earlier this year:

Before signing off, I need to give thanks to the Washington City Paper for their recent shout-out, and to send some love to The Sweets and Pool Holograph, who have both released new full-length albums this month. Check out their new work below, and keep your eyes and ears peeled for more goodies from DZ HQ in the very near future.

agenda

The time has come - I'm proud to introduce you to Hemlines, a four-piece feminist punk band from Washington, DC whose explosive rage manifests itself through ferociously conscious vocals and heavy, dynamic instrumentation. Their debut EP "All Your Homes" features five fiery tracks that unapologetically challenge patriarchal oppression with a focused anger, demanding respect and taking no prisoners.

The band has hit the ground running and after a fantastic collection of shows on the road, they're back in town tonight at the Black Cat for their EP release show with Homosuperior. Don't miss your first chance to grip your copy of the limited-edition, hand-dubbed-with-love, smokey-red cassette (click pic for details).

"[Hemlines] zigzags through a swath of the punk spectrum with observable skill... [they] weave pop-punk melodies around moments of raucous hardcore. Sonically, the effect is eye-opening...true vocal viciousness. Hemlines crosses a kind of line between empowerment and revenge fantasy...consider keeping your head on a swivel, Hemlines might be coming for you." - Washington City Paper

“[All Your Homes] explodes out of the gate... a no-fucks-given feminist machine. All Your Homes runs the gamut of the feminist feelings spectrum: at once fiery, inspiring, and heavy. Five energetic but concentrated tunes meld the anxieties many feel but don’t know quite how to express." - DCist

A few other DZ darlings have some fun things planned for the near future as well, don't sleep on these shows:

Sunday, October 4 at the Pinch

Big Hush w/ Warm Sun, Brief Candles, and Neiv

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, October 10 at Everybody Hits in Philadelphia
Romantic States w/ Halfsour, Marge, and Fleabite
(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, October 11 at Hole In The Sky
Escape From DC Brunch VII: Nitemoves, CrushnPain, and Flash Frequency
(click flyer to RSVP)

Thursday, October 15 at Above The Bayou

Big Hush w/ The Goodbye Party, Missing Earth, and Collider

(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, October 18  at Ottobar in Baltimore

Romantic States w/ Wildhoney, Pity Sex, Spencer Radcliffe, and Blacksage

(click flyer to RSVP)

Plenty of good things in store, don't miss out on these gigs and get your ears ready for DZ18.

the next generation

Production for the next project is under way, and I'm proud to announce DZ17 will be the new Hemlines EP. The four-piece feminist punks are taking their show on the road for the first time and the tour will be bringing them around the mid-Atlantic and East Coast, starting down south in North Carolina, going up to New York, then back to the District on September 30 for the official cassette release show at the Black Cat with Homosuperior.

While everyone involved is super excited for what's to come, thankfully there's fun to be had between now and then...

Two of my favorite bands from anywhere are playing on tonight at 453 Florida as Big Hush and Two Inch Astronaut play host to New Yorkers ADVAETA (click flyer for details).

Then on Sunday September 13, the sixth installment of the Escape From DC Brunch series at (my new abode) Hole In The Sky showcases some groovy out-of-town talent with Mild High Club and Laser Background, featuring local support from BRNDA (click flyer for details).

Two more things to touch on here before closing out:

With In It Together Fest 2 in the rearview mirror, I'm proud to announce we raised over $7000 for DC Abortion Fund, Collective Action For Safe Spaces, and We Are Family DC.

And I want to send a big shout out and much love to tenley tapes for their contribution of a new(-to-me) Telex stereo cassette duplicator with which DZ will flourish in quite an imminent sense. Stay tuned for DZ17 and more releases before the end of 2015. ✌

give more

And so begins a month of weekend-long tours for Romantic States. After staying up until 3am getting wild at the cassette release show in Baltimore on Friday, a Saturday afternoon of soothing dissonance was well-needed. Thanks to everyone who came out and/or volunteered at the matinee Radio CPR benefit show (special shout-out to Ian MacKaye) as well as Mattress Financial and The Creature People for playing their hearts out as always. I'm happy to say we raised a modest sum for the station, and I'm looking forward to getting more involved in the near future.

Romantic States (courtesy of Chris Taylor)

"On this new self-titled record, Romantic States have traded in the synthetic bleeps and bloops of old, the stuttering tape machines, the more “experimental” side of things in favor of more traditional arrangements for guitars, drums, and voices. The result is a poised approach to songwriting, tunes that are skeletal in nature. While it may appear thin, oblique, and fragile, you’ll be surprised just how resilient and mercurial this collection of songs can be." - Gelatinous Blog

Next up for the band is this gig in Newark, NJ on Friday, February 13 at The Hollywood Bungalow (click here to RSVP) with Charm City chums Et Al. and Garden State locals Apparus.

On that same day here in DC will be another great show, this one a benefit for Casa Ruby LGBT Community Center, who is raising funds to open a homeless youth house in the district. The show features radiant dreamers Crimson Wave from Baltimore, activist sludge warriors Jail Solidarity, feminist grunge rockers Hemlines, and local unsung heroes Tereu Tereu and Jack On Fire. Check out the sweet show poster below c/o Rachel Porter and give it a click for more details and to RSVP.

I'm very happy to be involved with this show and am more than pleased with the serendipitous link between the two events happening all in one night at the same venue. Just downstairs will be a reading by contributors to the Collide Zine #3 speaking on the challenges of living with physical and mental illness, and additionally Sean Gray from Accidental Guest Records fostering a discussion on accessibility in the DIY community and spreading awareness of his site Is This Venue Accessible?, a growing collaborative resource to catalog accessible and inaccessible performance spaces.

Hope you get the chance to check out some live music in the coming week - don't forget to bring your lovers and your manners. ♥