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Friday, July 31, 2015

Just Rolled In: Pure Bathing Culture - "Pray For Rain" [indie pop / synthpop]

Portland, Oregon's Pure Bathing Culture are returning with their sophomore LP Pray For Rain this October and they've been kind enough to grace us with the beautiful and surprisingly beat-driven title track. The two Vetiver members first made a name for themselves three years ago with a very hazy, nostalgic sound recalling the synthpop of the 80s, and they've pretty much stuck to the same dreamy sound since, but on "Pray For Rain" the drum machines take on a more crucial role, which sees the duo embracing a whole new energy, turning that slow body sway into an ebullient bounce.

Pre-order Pray For Rain on iTunes now and stream the first single and title track below.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Swell Album: Triptides - Azur [psychedelic rock / indie pop / surf]

Los Angeles's new residents Triptides have come a long way from the bedrooms of founding members (and primary songwriters) Glenn Brigman and Josh Menashe in Bloomington, Indiana. They have since transformed into a four-piece and have been steadily pushing out recordings for almost five years now. The psychedelic guitar pop band's most recent LP and followup to last year's Colors EP is Azur, which came out July 10 via Requiem Pour Un Twister.

As you may have gathered from the band's name and album art, Azur is a very warm, summery listening experience, but it shouldn't be limited to that. Although Triptides' intricate guitars and overall breezy vibe may recall current bands like Real Estate at times, it's their effortless ability to fuse 60s-influenced psychedelic, surf, and pop melodies together into fresh, memorable songs that makes them irreplaceable.

Considering the balance that the guys of Triptides have crafted between upbeat guitar pop songs and more relaxed psychedelic tunes on Azur, it's clear that they are more than just a one-trick pony hoping to get one of their sunny tracks lost amongst the uniformity of someone's Summer '15 playlist. Azur is an impressive album front to back and deserves to be listened to in full, no matter the season.

Grab yourself a copy of Azur here and check out the excellent singles "Wake", "Dark Side", "Hideout", and "Where You Are" below!