Sound Advice: 19. Feb. 2025
The flood of great records continues! Today we're taking a quick look at the latest from Immersion, Drop Nineteens, Horsegirl, and more!
Longtime readers may recall that I reviewed 100 new (to me) records last year. Because I’m a glutton for punishment love music, I’m doing it again this year. This is the latest in the series.
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a look at the latest from Horsegirl, CuVa Bimö, Immersion + SUSS, Brief Candles, and Drop Nineteens
Every year, I celebrate all the great music we’ve been gifted while worrying that next year will see the other shoe drop. I first did that in December 2020 and have been proven wrong every month since. Not only are there a ton of releases steadily coming out, but it also transcends genre, or any other artificial guardrail we try and put up—
In other words, there’s a ton of good stuff coming out, and there’s something for everyone. It’s almost overwhelming— but in all the best ways. Below are another batch that caught my attention recently.
Let’s get into it!
Brief Candles- Unfinished Nature (2024)
There is a clip around social media where a GenZ record store clerk shares her favorite shoegaze records. At one point—and I'm paraphrasing here-- she notes that the line between dream pop and shoegaze is fluid, and no one really knows how to define it, other than you know it when you hear it. I mention this because Unfinished Nature from Milwaukee's Brief Candles does a great shop bouncing between both.
With its skittish riffs, opener "Remote View Finder" manages to work in a little post-punk while we're at it. Follow-up "Rewards" was featured on ORR playlist 283; it still hasn't fallen out of heavy rotation. If you're a fan of Drop Nineteens (more on them below), this will remind you of the band at its most wistful, with just enough feedback to keep you from floating too far off into space. On tracks like "Murky," the music takes a much more sturdy tone.
The band--and record--are more than just a bunch of effects pedals and reverb, of course. There are elements of psych, Krautrock, and more here. Fans of Yo La Tengo might also see some similarities peeking through.
Call 'em what you want: On Unfinished Nature, the band is locked in. (Listen here)
Immersion + SUSS- Nanocluster, Vol. 3
My love for Wire is no secret, nor is my love for frontman Colin Newman's solo work. Immersion is his project with partner Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact), and Vol. 3 is the latest in their Nanocluster series. For this release, the electronic duo has partnered with the ambient Americana trio SUSS, and the result is fantastic.
Both groups play off each other well here. Immersion's electronic & post-punk influences complement Suss' painting of expansive soundscapes and vice versa. Together, Nanocluster Vol 3 is, at times, the perfect soundtrack to a desert sunrise. Other times, tracks like State Of Motion channel the energy of a new (urban) day and compel you to move. The video also includes early morning footage from an airport, and I can confirm that it captures that feeling to a tee. Either way, this record is an incredible (I had to squeeze in one more superlative there) way to set the tone for your day. I'm not usually an "ambient guy," but this one proves the exception to the rule. Being a Wire fanboy might skew things a bit, but don't be surprised to see this on my OATY list at year's end. (Listen here)
Drop Nineteens- 1991
Before Delaware...before 120 Minutes...there was…1991. First recorded before the band had a record label, this collection of demos was recorded, put to tape, and then largely forgotten for the next three decades.
The band's now back, and was time to bring these recordings back to life. With only a light touch editing-wise, they're as raw as you might imagine— these are demos made by 18/19-year-olds in their dorm rooms!—but are a great look at what the band would become just a short time later. In particular, "Shannon Waves" (also featured last week) is a standout. This one might be best described as a record for the fans, but listeners new to the band will also find a gem or two in here. (Listen here)
Horsegirl- Phonetics On and On
The follow-up to 2022's Versions of Modern Performance sees the band embracing a much more stripped-down sound. In the ensuing three years, the band members finished high school, left Chicago for NYC, and started college. In many cases, that's the first red flag that a record will be pretentious and insufferable. Not here, though. With Cate Le Bon on the boards, everything here serves a purpose, and there is no excess. The result is both familiar and new, almost as if the trio is insistent on not being pigeonholed into any given sound. There's no shortage of jangle here, but there is plenty else to explore as well. They're growing up but aren't afraid to still embrace whimsy. (Listen here)
CuVa Bimö- CB Radio
We next travel to the Best Coast, or more specifically, the East Bay, and check out Oakland's CuVa Bimö and their debut, CB Radio. Like any good post-punk/post-whatever record, this has jagged guitar riffs and frenetic vocals. There are new wave and goth elements here as well.
"Bad Jacket" and "Crank Wave" see the band at their snottiest, right down to the "I know a few things that are true / That new jacket makes you look like a tool" lyrics on the former. "Post/Wall" is twitchy in just the right amounts. With its furious chords and fast/slow/fast/slow cadence, Doonm Loop reminds me of all the 7" records I used to pick up back in the day and served as a reminder that I should dust 'em off and share them with my neighbor.
There's also the requisite fist-shaking at the state of affairs in 2025 America. Any more, those are table stakes, and this record clears the bar from start to finish. But I also want to highlight drummer Ricky Cunliffe's work here. It feels like it could explode anytime, yet it never does. It's more animated than one might usually see from a band swimming in these waters. Honestly, it feels like there are a couple of drummers back there. He and bassist Jake Bilich keep things chugging right along down the track.
CB Radio is a harder sound than just about everything else coming out of SF/Oakland these days, And I'm here for all of it. Hopefully, this is the first of many more records by the band.(Listen here)
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
That Horsegirl record is really cool.
That Horsegirl album is indeed great. Does anyone else get Stereolab vibes from the song Switch Over?