Back in November we put the word out that HR Lexy was crowdfunding for a new record called Every Scar Is An Open Door. Along with that informative smoke signal, we also gushed about how entrancing a live HR Lexy performance is. That crowdfunding campaign is ongoing (and you really should contribute to it) but the album is now also available on Bandcamp. I won’t bury the lede here: it’s an incredible piece of work that you need to get into your ears.

For me, there are two songs that serve as a decent embodiment of the record. First, “Get On With It” bops along with a core keys and drum rhythm that serve as inescapable earworms as the track swells around Arlene Sparacia’s mystical vocals. They are soaring, yearning and occasionally a little ominous; despite the overall song feeling like a jaunty pop song. It’s a layered affair that begs for relistening. Secondly, “Torn” has a darker, contemplative tone with Sparacia’s vocals and lyrics begging for your attention. It’s a love song but it’s about the complexity of love. This stanza is a rather poignant one:

It’s not like the movies
I don’t feel the same everyday
love is ever moving
and its okay to let it change
met you over coffee
we laughed till we cried

Is it a breakup song? Is it a commitment to loving one another despite the difficulties? Maybe both? For me, it’s certainly both and it’s a powerful refrain.

Those two songs are certainly not the only highlights of the record, they simply serve as introductions to the larger piece of work. “The Marsh” is akin to listening to a magic spell, “Mother” is, seemingly, a grounding refrain about the impact of domestic violence, “Green Eyes” is a swell of yearning, melancholy vocals that could possibly bring a tear to your eye.

It’s a emotional and evocative record but it’s not a withdrawn record. If the title is to be considered literally, Every Scar Is An Open Door is about taking our pain and creating an opportunity from it. That opportunity may be an exit from a bad situation, it may be a learning situation to stay true to your love or may be something far more complex. HR Lexy seems to have taken some of her own scars and turned them into an absolutely unique blend of Art Pop, Performance Art and Reflective Contemplation. These songs, combined with the riveting live show, seem to be a catharsis of their meaning and still manage to be wonderfully memorable.

Sometimes you try to contain your excitement when you hear a new band, particularly when it’s just one song. Other times, you indulge in that feeling of wonder, enjoyment and Instant Heavy Rotation. The latter is certainly the case with Body Electric‘s inaugural single, “Plastic Arrows.” What’s to get excited about? Well, in a word: everything. The instrumentation, the production, the ethereal vibes, the twinges of influences you hear seeping through. Hit up their Instagram and you see they played with other acts you enjoy – Eve Maret, Crystal Egg, Country Death, Texas Welcome Center, Trevor Nikrant. et al. Look at their announcement video and feel delight at the simple charm of it. Go back to the song. Repeat. Check the credits on the song, note that Ross Collier was involved. Note that Body Electric is Andie Billheimer from Random Sample (among other things). Rewind the track. Repeat.

It can feel a bit like spiraling out but it’s an elated feeling. Don’t let anyone tell you music isn’t exciting or interesting anymore. Body Electric proves otherwise.

Did you know there is a monthly live event called Ambient Sundays? Lately it has been happening at TKO and features an impressive list of local artists making improvised (and pre-arranged) compositions with atmospheric and drone intentions. More details on that are best shared in a dedicated post but it’s worth noting that these nights are organized by Kyle Numann; aka Infinite Limb (and also a member of Cloudmouth), whom just so happened to release a ambient drone album back in March of 2023 entitled Drones_v01: Lush Pools.

The record comes with a set of instructions that sums its intentions up quite nicely:

Contains four long-lasting, densely textured drone treatments with slow-acting effects.
Instructions: For use aiding in relaxation, concentration & meditation. Consume at sufficient volume to achieve desired strength.

If you’ve not allowed yourself to aurally bathe in a drone, this is a great place to start. It seeps into your brain and blocks out the rest of the world, allowing for concentration on a task or a means to block out the rest of the world, whatever your preference may be.

Numann tells me these tracks were specifically created “to be a functional treatment for whatever you need in the moment. Use them to meditate. Use them to concentrate. Use them as a tool to reflect, escape, or just distract yourself. Treat yourself as often as needed. Apply via headphones for maximum effect.” This is all excellent advice and, more importantly, effective advice.

Lawndry is one of those bands that defies categorization. They have plenty of keyboards but you’d never call them an electronic band. They dabble in atmospheric sounds but you wouldn’t call them an ambient band. They bring a vibe that’s definitively psychedelic but you can’t call them a psych band. Or maybe you can? Lawndry brings a little bit of everything to the table and keeps things interesting for themselves and for listeners by always pushing themselves to try out new things. One label you might be surprised definitively applies to them is “fans of Christmas.”

Since 2020, the band has consistently written their own original Christmas songs and played a live set to celebrate them. For 2023, we get “Give Me All You Got” backed with “Midnight Mass.” It’s not your typical Christmas jingle clocking in over 6 minutes but there’s an undeniably boisterous feeling to it. It’s both melancholy and bouyant; two emotions that may feel at odds with one another but if you think about what the holidays represent, it’s actually quite perfect.

In year’s past they’ve delivered Lawndry Presents (2020), “Christmas Cruise” (2021) and Velvet & Ice (2022). I’d even argue that 2016’s “Bigger Than Oasis” also fulfills the holiday song criteria but I’ll leave that to you to decide.

See the band at The Basement on Dec 21st, 2023 to celebrate the new songs. Make sure to ask them to keep putting these gems out into the world.

Traversing the balance of being a “avant-garde pop duo” is no easy task. If you’re embracing pop, you better be memorable, fun and maybe even a bit dance-y. If you’re embracing avant-garde, you better let yourself get weird. I’m happy to report Slender Dan has found that balance and delivers a healthy dose of both dance-y fun and the unexpected throughout their Nothing Forever EP. Lead track “Dissent” is a great example of this; on the surface it’s an incredibly catchy dance track but there are sinister elements bubbling underneath it all.

The EP is an addendum to the band’s most recent full-length Gestalt which we’re going to go ahead and recommend spending some time with as well.

Oh, hell yes! New-to-us stoner metal trio Dead Runes bringing the big riff goodness with their new track “My Freya.” It’s got all the ingredients that a connoisseur of the genre would enjoy; soaring and harmonic vocals, lyrics about the Norse goddess of death and a sludgy and sinister vibe start to finish. That said, it’s not derivative, it’s just wholly satisfying.

Forthcoming album RAIDHO set for release in February 2024, so now is a great time to follow them:
Instagram: @deadrunesband
Bandcamp: deadrunes.bandcamp.com
Spotify: Follow