Hurtbird – Nature Vs. City (Self-released)
With a fundamentally indie instrumental sound somewhere between MGMT, Arcade Fire, and Radiohead, Hurtbird surprises by featuring a hip-hop MC as lead vocalist, with more typically indie vocals only on the choruses. Likely antecedents for their sound include Astronautalis and Buck 65. Though not overly impressive, it’s a decent novelty.
Shy Child – Liquid Love (Gigantic)
Shy Child blend tropes from new wave and the spacier end of R&B circa 1983 into a horrendously dated electro/funk crossover. It’s embarrassing to listen to, and if clubs full of Williamsburg hipsters really do dance to this, it just proves the whole irony thing has gone too far.
Warm Ghost – Claws Overhead (Geographic North)
The appropriately named Warm Ghost drown their synth melodies in a lush haze of lo-fi tape muffle. Everything sounds both warm and fuzzy, with no rough edges. A bit more song-based than the standard witch house group, they nonetheless have some claim on that genre tag. An enjoyable listen.
Hurtbird – Nature Vs. City (Self-released)
With a fundamentally indie instrumental sound somewhere between MGMT, Arcade Fire, and Radiohead, Hurtbird surprises by featuring a hip-hop MC as lead vocalist, with more typically indie vocals only on the choruses. Likely antecedents for their sound include Astronautalis and Buck 65. Though not overly impressive, it’s a decent novelty.
Shy Child – Liquid Love (Gigantic)
Shy Child blend tropes from new wave and the spacier end of R&B circa 1983 into a horrendously dated electro/funk crossover. It’s embarrassing to listen to, and if clubs full of Williamsburg hipsters really do dance to this, it just proves the whole irony thing has gone too far.
Warm Ghost – Claws Overhead (Geographic North)
The appropriately named Warm Ghost drown their synth melodies in a lush haze of lo-fi tape muffle. Everything sounds both warm and fuzzy, with no rough edges. A bit more song-based than the standard witch house group, they nonetheless have some claim on that genre tag. An enjoyable listen.
