Here we are again. It’s been a couple weeks, and the local scene still hasn’t slowed down. We’ve got some hot new releases that dropped, as well as some big shows featuring local artists that you won’t want to miss. Grab a friend or two, buy a couple tickets, and get involved in a music community that’s bursting at the seams.
New Releases
Clear Acid – Sonic Palette
Sonic Palette is a textural wall of sound. Clear Acid is known for their loud, chaotic noise on top of psychedelic shoegaze. They’re constantly changing directions within each song, from pleasantly-sung vocals to soft whispers to rough screams, and from dancey tempos to sudden, dramatic accelerations. “No Luck” is especially intense live, getting increasingly fast and turbulent. The album is very coherent with a balanced ratio of chaos and dreaminess. Compared to last year’s Untitled Three, the production seems to be just the slightest bit more hi-fi — which isn’t to say that this thing isn’t wonderfully crunchy and lo-fi; it most certainly is, but the recordings on Sonic Palette are just clean enough to really let the guitar tone and vocals shine.
Genre: Showgaze, Noise
RIYL: Ringo Deathstarr, My Bloody Valentine
Coolboy3000 – HARD_WARE
Coolboy3000‘s “HARD_WARE” is a 5 song synth pop (cyber goth?) opus that seemed to come out of nowhere. The story of Coolboy3000 is unknown, but we do know that he claims Dallas as his home and makes music in his bedroom.
HARD_WARE boasts 5 intricately produced, airy-yet-heavy, synth pop tracks reminiscent of Grimes or New Order. From start to finish, the EP is driven by fat synths and bass lines that have a certain Breakin’ 2: Electric Bugaloo quality about them. Coolboy3000 creates eerie, yet danceable soundscapes occupied by pulsing bass, synthesized choruses, and his whispered goth vocals. The overall quality of the EP is astounding. For a seemingly unknown artist making music in his bedroom, CB3k’s musical confidence shows through in his work. His cohesive style and ability to craft interesting, well-designed, sounds sets him apart from many electronic artists starting out in the area. Keep an eye on him.
“HARD_WARE” was released as audio/visual project. You can take a look at the mid-90s internet visuals on the CB3K website.
Stream “HARD_WARE” HereGenre: Electronic, Synth Pop
RIYL: George Clanton, Grimes, Com Truise
Upcoming Shows 4/5 – 4/19
Local artists are orange. Click links to see the Facebook events for more info.
(4/5) TV Girl, Children of Pop, Delia Haunt
@Rubber Gloves – Indie Pop/Electronic
(4/6) Bleached, No Parents, Sealion
@Three Links – Indie Rock/Surf Punk
(4/7) Whimper, Armazilla, Terra Collective
@Rubber Gloves – Emo Rock/Prog Metal
(4/9) Baghead, Dumspell, Pavel Chekov, The Noids
@ Rubber Gloves – Punk/Grindcore
(4/11) Earworms, Bighand//Bigknife, Serious Shit, Chokey
@1919 Hemphill – Punk/Doom Metal
(4/15) Shmu, Chris Lopez, Unconscious Collective, Amendable, Raab Zamboni
@The cOoompound – Experimental
(4/17) Krigsgrav, Giant of the Mountain, Glasir
@ Reno’s – Metal/Post Rock