This article was featured in RVAMag #24: Spring 2016.
This article was featured in RVAMag #24: Spring 2016. You can read all of issue #24 here or pick it up at local shops around RVA right now.
Atta Girl
Fuck The Sun
(Bad Grrrl)
On this quick EP, Atta Girl work in moments of twee bliss with a musical approach that wouldn’t feel out of place on any number of punk bills. Breezy cuts like “Vagacadabra” and “Jamie Lee Curtis” make this infectious release one that you’ll find yourself replaying over and over again. (SC)
Camp Howard
Camp Howard
(Citrus City/Crystal Pistol/Bad Grrrl)
On their self-titled debut, Camp Howard executes a number of dream pop twists that feel fresh and nuanced. “You’ve Been Misled” and lead single “Veins” both have a great air to them that feels ageless. This will be a surefire success for all fans of the band and genre. (SC)
Daniel Conover, aka Kons, carries on from his earlier work with Seven Hills, deeper into his own unique solo world. Falling is perhaps the most spaced-out project he’s produced yet, with the psychedelic “cloud rap” backing tracks mixing well with Kons’ mystical, spiritual lyrics. Hip hop inner space exploration. Dive in. (AN)
Lucy Dacus
No Burden
(Egghunt)
Believe the hype. Richmond’s brightest star delivers huge on her debut record for Egghunt with thundering music that’s firmly grounded thanks to incisive lyrics and evocative melodies. The songs here are wise beyond their years and show off Lucy Dacus as a timeless soul utilizing the vessel of a young artist on the cusp of truly making it big. (DN)
Feral Conservatives
Here’s To Almost
(Egghunt)
Fully realized twee music that’s as versatile as it is jangly from a Virginia Beach band on the Egghunt roster with a fearful musical bite. The band showcases the more well-known aspects of the classic C86 sound with indie pop treasures galore, but the album truly soars in moments of rumbling intensity that show of the often-forgotten origins of the genre. (DN)
Lil Ugly Mane
Oblivion Access
(Ormolycka)
Shawn Kemp had a fairly prolific 2015, releasing a collaborative mixtape, a compilation, and this latest album. With a flow reminiscent of El-P, darkly skeptical lyrics, and a unique mix of spaced-out beats and harsh noise, the rapper/producer is on top of his game, despite this material having been culled from the darkest depths of his psyche. (CE)
Naked Pictures
Nudes
Every song on this EP just kills. Fuzzed out guitars, anthemic hooks and overdriven riffs prove to be a strongsuit for new band Naked Pictures. If this is just their first collection of tunes, what is Richmond prepared to hear when they unleash a proper follow-up? (SC)
Night Idea
Breathing Cold
(JuJu)
Night Idea are a band inspired by sonic exploration and Breathing Cold leaves no surface untouched. Crazy time signatures and abstract lyricism help set the band apart from several of their contemporaries within the genre. Every moment is a delicate balance within unique parameters that help to make this one of the best Richmond releases to come out this year. (SC)
