Tag: population 4

Friday Album Streams: Lightheaded, Blue Ocean, Mope City and More

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There’s only a few more sleeps until all the music folks decided to hibernate for the year, so better be sure to listen to as much new music as possible, right? Well, on this Friday, we’ve got a couple of really delicious records for you to devour, if that’s your thing. No need to wax poetic here, just links so you can fall in love and spend some quality time with your new favorite LP.

Lightheaded – Good Good Great (Slumberland Records)

Mope City – Population 4 – (Tenth Court)

Blue Ocean – Fertile State (Slumberland Records)

A Beacon School – yoyo (Grind Select)

Half Dream – Will I Still Bloom (Self-Released)

Upchuck – Bite the Hand That Feeds (Famous Class)

Mope City Share Laminating the Classics

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Between the work of Flooding and Mope City, I’m definitely living in a dreamland where acts are brandishing heavy-handed riffs to go with their slowcore stylings. On Mope City‘s latest single, they start off in this sludgy pool, only to rise out of those ashes to work their way into some super cool alternative vibes. Feels to me like a lot of flirtation with Sonic Youth’s catalog, working from within the confines of a punk ethos to kind of dive into this underworld of explorative pop. They’ll likely get some Low comparisons too, as they mention in the bio for Population: 4, so you know the best thing for you is to grab a copy from Tenth Court Records; it drops on October 13th.

Mope City Share Eat Yr Promises Single

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Mope City has long been one of those little secrets, but as they look forward to Population: 4, its time everyone else gives the group a listen. They would likely be filed under slowcore nowadays, mostly due to pace. This new single, however, continues the ominous push they’ve made shared with us this year, toiling in that sort of experimental hardcore territory, tied to the shores of melody. Discordant notes and heavy riffs intermingle here, though the vocals feel like a young Kim Gordon beckoning you to come into the band’s recording space where they pummel you with those riffs all over again. And, just as you thought you couldn’t take it, they tease you with one more melodic tickle of the ear bones…and we’re done. If this is something you’d dig, Population: 4 is out via Tenth Court on October 13th.

Mope City Ready Population 4

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I remember when I first stumbled upon Mope City back in 2019 when they were prepping New From Home; I was really taken aback, feeling like there wasn’t anyone creating this sort of slow-core dramatic rock n’ roll. Obviously, I’ve been a bit more in tune with that the last few years, but Mope City is still one of my favorite acts blending these darkened musical narratives. Before they release Population 4, the band have tossed out a little teaser, which feels ominous in its opening moments; the first bit of playful vocal interplay also adds a hint of danger. Still, despite the gloomy nature, the band somehow manage to favor these brief little moments of pop structure that give you just enough of a taste to keep you thirsty for more. The album will be out via Tenth Court later this year!