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I don’t even want to look back at last week. But, we had songs, there were some really good songs coming out of a really awful week. Our friend Ram Vela and his band had a new single, plus it never hurts to get a Voxtrot tune in your inbox. Think I kept coming back to these Bastien Keb, Flowertown and Tan Cologne tunes the most, well, and that Tony Molina track. There’s about 20 jams to sort through, so find a favorite. Or don’t.
This latest single from Tan Cologne is the sweet spot in the dreamier realms of indie rock, for me at least. Crisp little notes dangle and turn, mixing it up, occasionally choosing to pursue their own adventures as various textures are built in to the distance. The vocals, they resonate like a dream themselves, feeling as if they’re layered like some haunting whisper from your past; I love how they hang with this striking patience, careful not to step out into the sunshine, lurking in their own dense caverns of drawn out pop songwriting. Another reason you should pencil in Earth Visions of Water Spaces into your September listening rotation, which is when Labrador Records will be dropping the LP.
So much good music last week, and so much to cover. Well, we tried to get up as much as we could, plus Brian got some great photos of Good Morning and Packs. Here’s our weekly musical recap, with lots of awesome news, like new releases from Tan Cologne, Field Guides…and Voxtrot! I think the news of their Early Music compilation definitely made my week, even as I was held hostage in my classroom by state testing. Enjoy some jams from last week.
We’ve been supporting the work of Lauren Green since she played an integral part in Austin’s musical scene, years ago. As of late, she’s been focusing on her project with Marissa Macias as Tan Cologne; they’ve got one album under their belts, and it looks like another one is on the way. This first single feels like a study in patience; the percussion and guitar lines create this melodic trance, occasionally featuring little bubbling accents. There’s a moment when you get this effortless build that sort of plays upon live sequence, crafting a steady instrumental build that opens up just as it falls back to the initial pattern. The group will drop Earth Visions of Water Spaces this September via Labrador Records.
Tan Cologne should definitely be a band on your radar, especially after the release of their debut Cave Vaults on the Moon in New Mexico. Now they’ve teamed up with Johan Angergard and his project, The Legends, to release this light-hearted ditty. It’s the complete opposite end of the spectrum of what you’d expect, considering it involves the US duo, but it’s so so great. My only complaint being that the tune’s just short…and not because it’s short but because I could have it all on repeat all day long. Maybe you’ll feel the same after a couple of short spins.
I really wanted to pair this new tun from Tan Cologne right after the latest track from HOLY we just ran because they’re both creating these huge emotional pieces, with the HOLY tune representing some sort of pulsating life force. Here, Lauren Green and Marissa Macias are creating this meditative state with “Strange God.” The absence of color in the video production calms, but also seems to evade emotions, offering up a solemnity in the world. That’s not to say there aren’t beautiful moments in the song, particularly in the meandering near the 4 minute mark with little notes echoing in the distance. If you need a moment to yourself, a moment to your thoughts, perhaps this tune can accompany you. It appears on Cave Vaults on the Moon in New Mexico, out next Friday via Labrador Records.
If you caught our brief wrap up of Levitation late last Fall, then you’ll remember that I raved about the performance of Tan Cologne; their live set was hand’s down one of the best sets I saw the entire festival. Today they’re sharing another single from their forthcoming Cave Vaults on the Moon in New Mexico. I’m totally captivated by the way the band use all the space in their songs; they’re crafting their own landscapes within the confines of their musical craft. You can listen and build your own imagery, or if you’re watching this video, let that suffice, but you’ll find yourself immediately immersed. The new LP drops on February 14th via Labrador.
Team ATH has been covering Austin Psych Fest/Levitation since its early inception, probably in the second year at Radio Room (sorry we missed the first year!), so we’ve seen the ups and downs twists and turns. Despite the various venues and changes, Levitation 2019 finally felt like it was home again.
I’ve always been a fan of Lauren Green’s songwriting, whether that was as part of Mirror Travel or some of her solo work; she’s now teamed up with friend Marissa Macias to form Tan Cologne. The two met while hanging out in Taos, New Mexico, which fits into the narrative of this song in particular; it feels like driving through the roads of New Mexico, almost blurring the lines between the track’s sonic and visual approaches, drifting about with the ebbs and flows. The duo will be releasing their debut album, Cave Vaults on the Moon in New Mexico via Labrador Records (which, to me, is huge!). They’ve got a handful of shows in November, including a few Austin dates for Levitation.
