apolitiq
now. (Curious Electricity)
Picture disc/etched 12"
We knew nothing about industrial outfit apolitiq going into this EP, now. and that's a little embarrassing as it turns out. But we're certainly hip to the Santa Barbara noise merchants now.
According to their online bio, apolitiq initially launched "as a duo of William Hayden and Keith York in Santa Barbara while attending UC Santa Barbara." Since then, they've played extensively around Southern California, and released a bunch of records.
If now. is a marker, then we want to hear a lot more. Opener "Fight" is a battleground of mechanical noise, inhuman vocals and utter turbulence. There is a hint of melody, buried expertly under sheer terror.
There are messages in there, if you listen hard enough. "STOP, NO ONE OWNS US," blasts out of "Fight," kicking off a general theme of furious nihilism. In this current climate, that's just what the doctor ordered.
Springhouse
From Now to OK (Independent Project Records)
Any time we received vinyl from Independent Project Records, it's cause for celebration. This reissue from New York three-piece Springhouse is no exception.
"Originally released as a limited edition CD in 2008 by Independent Project Records, this edition will be released on vinyl, CD and digital formats and includes a bonus CD of previously unreleased demos and live tracks," the press release states.
The album itself is a treat. Elements of folk-rock and dream-pop create a sound Nuggets-esque, psychedelic garage joy. The songwriting is strong, the melodies infectious, and the musicianship is spot-on.
"From Now to OK captures Springhouse exploring a more acoustic, folk rock-indebted sound; still showing their trademark flair for dreamy melodic textures, the ever-Anglophile Springhouse can be heard embracing the late sixties influence of Nick Drake and The Beatles," they say.
As is always the case with IPR, the packaging is exemplary. The album comes in two colored variants as well as black, the sleeve looks gorgeous, and there's a CD of bonus material too.
