Rating: 
The noise, the noise, the noise! For more than a decade now, these New Yorkers have been dishing out a steady supply of loud and rambunctious rock music. But you already knew that, or you should, as they’ve become somewhat of a staple band when it comes to experimental post-punk revival noise rock. Transfixiation is far from short on the loud and punch-you-in-the-face rock and roll, but does it push A Place To Bury Strangers past where they’ve already been?
They open up with simmering “Supermaster,” which has the band’s dark post-punk grit toned down to a pop level, giving it a newfound accessibility that was missing before. This song plays with the concept of bursting forth into the explosive rock that we know the band to be capable of, but instead, they stay treading water just below of the surface. Oliver Ackermann’s vocals stay low in the mix, and the whole song crawls along forebodingly, building up the suspense as squalls of electric guitar slice through the mix. Alluringly, this song piques your interest and sucks you in before APTBS ever really launch in.
But not to worry, “Straight,” the second track up has the band taking this newfound pop accessibility to a different level. This song is a great middle ground for the band; neither too hot nor too dull in terms of gritty noise rock or a watered down version of their original sound. Instead, it takes the band to a different level, combining the grit with the streamlined to make for quite an enjoyable track. There are other tracks on Transfixiation that fit this mold in the best way, like late burners “We’ve Come So Far,” or “Fill The Void.” Both of these songs combine a newfound pop sensibility to the mix while maintaining the band’s core sound, and open up the band to a new hybridity we had scarcely seen before. Other times, you get the band holding on to their loud roots unabashedly. Take songs like “Love High” or “Deeper,” in which the grungey elements are in full force.
So, the answer to the question I posed at the beginning of this review is both a yes and a no. There are some tracks on Transfixiation that clearly stick out and sail above the classic noise they’ve come to be infamous for. However, part of the album feels so steeped in feedback and coated in grit that you’ve already gotten to know; a half step in a different direction rather than a full step. It’s up to you to decide if that’s a good or a bad thing.
Snow Tha Product is one of the most slept on rappers today and at the very least deserves a mention in the best active female rappers conversation. After her 2010 debut album Unorthodox put her on the map, Snow Tha Product has remained relevant ever since. 2014 was her biggest year yet, which included a verse on one of the 2014 BET Awards cyphers, a guest host spot on an episode of the Brilliant Idiots podcast, and her own “Fuck Your Plans” 34-city tour that kicked-off in Austin. Last year’s tour made her unable to be a part of SXSW 2014 but she is officially set to perform this year, though no dates or locations have been set. Snow Tha Product has a lengthy catalog of songs and videos that are worth listening to and watching on her YouTube channel and Soundcloud page. Her most recent mixtape Good Nights & Bad Mornings can be downloaded for free from DJ Booth.
I’m always down for more shoegazey/dream pop to love, but even more so down for shoegazey/dream pop that comes from our sweet sweet city. So I’m quite pleased to introduce you to some locals to love, 
