Dreamy Pop from Crescendo

crescendoI’m really intrigued by the sound that Crescendo is bringing to the table. They’re utilizing the common tropes of fighting guitar with a hazy vocal, often accompanied by a light female vocal accompaniment. But, what’s intriguing me is that the voice sounds like Dan Bejar from Destroyer, and yet, it works quite successfully. I’ve been listening to the band’s new effort, Unless, and I have to say that there’s not a single bad song in the mix. I’m thinking those of you looking for hits from the dream pop/indiepop/shoegaze realm will find this whole listen enchanting. It’s out now via We Were Never Boring.

ATX Premiere: Rain Collectors Release Single

rainyThere’s an old guard in the Austin music scene, filled with bands who’ve been playing together for years.  But, at some point the youngsters in town are going to take over, which is where we find Mr. Santiago and Ms. Blair, the duo working together as Rain Collectors.  Both artists have their own acts, Growl and AMA, respectively, but they step outside of these two projects to craft gentle folk music together.  Their new single relies upon very few lyrics, choosing instead to revolve the emotional pull around the tune’s structure, filling in empty space with piano and drums to add extra textures to the track.  For those worried about when the talent in Austin will run out, rest assured, there’s new territory being explored by the young guard, and Rain Collectors is one of those acts to keep an eye on; look for a new EP later this year.