Welcome to Sonic Baptism with Spirit Lust and friends. Dim Things graciously gave me a platform to share my favorite recent releases and shows of the week (No shows this week). For a playlist of all the songs, and artists mentioned in the week’s article follow here (also includes our friends and releases). It’s been another tough week in quarantine, but music always helps. Without further interruption Sonic Baptism, this week with Jacob Saxton.
Faucet is a Richmond, Virginia noise-punk band that makes powerfully abrasive music perfect for whatever you want to call these times. Every instrument is chaotic and gritty. But when paired together they form tantalizing angry punk. Vocals share the same weight and heaviness as the instrumentation. Heavy, intense, gritty yet guiding and centering to both the music and the listener. Streams of noise interludes and sampled vocal peak around each corner of the record to make sure your senses aren’t just assaulted by the sonic annihilation of their full band songs. Bitter Insane Melting is out now via their bandcamp. – Spirit Lust
Las Nubes just released an absolutely killer split EP with their fellow Miami locals Palomino Blond. Released by Bufu Records, it contains two tracks from each band. “Tararear” is an alt/garage-rock gem that sounds like it was picked up out of a time capsule from 1996. It is an insanely catchy song, the leads from the opening verse keep you listening, while the heavy chords of the chorus make you want to play the song again once it finishes. The track is sung in Spanish, so you will either find yourself singing along if you can (maybe even if you can’t) or at the very least humming along (AKA “Tararear”). There is no other option – if you sit still through this track you should see a doctor – something’s off. Head over to their Bandcamp to pick up a copy of the split while it lasts. – Jacob Saxton
Dead Tooth is the songwriting moniker of Zach Ellis, backed by a full band of rotating NY/Brooklyn scene staples. Live Dead Tooth is one of the most engaging and entertaining bands in the New York scene. They probably play 7 shows a week. So one can imagine that they must be going a bit crazy with all the downtime from the quarantine. Well turns out the covered “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees with their friend Emily Ashenden of Ashjesus. They somehow made the already smooth song even smoother. Ellis’s vocals create the landscape of the song. Carving a hauntingly cool and smooth structure for the song that the instruments complement symbiotically. If you ever needed some hope for the uncertain mundane cruelty of each day, Dead Tooth can help relieve this for you. “Staying Alive” is out now via their bandcamp. – Spirit Lust
Stoic Ubiquity is the recently released album by experimental noise artist Pterygium. Is full of hauntingly beautiful soundscapes and frightening oscillations that’ll creep up behind you when you least expect it. the songs on Stoic Ubiquity flow in a circadian rhythm. Unnerving like the night, blissful like the day. Stoic Ubiquity is perfectly balanced in the beauty and the horror and is a good mirror to our own reality. Stoic Ubiquity is out now digitally and out in the near future physically via No Rent Records. – Spirit Lust
No Rent Records digital catalog is currently pay what you want so if you enjoy experimental music and are able to support them and their artists. Physicals will be available on the other side.
“Beats in Bed” is the debut single by Ghost Piss. “Beats in Bed” is warning to any of the “Chads” out there that think they can help bring Ghost Piss to the next level. She doesn’t need your help, she is next level. “Beats in Bed” should be everyone’s wake up song. It’s a poppy, danceable track that’ll get you ready for whatever the day throws at you. But there is so much more behind this track than its catchy and movement inducing beat and melody. The lyrics discuss Ghost Piss’s experiences with classic male ego thinking that their advice can boost the potential of Ghost Piss. She made a music video to perfectly encapsulate her message and story, filmed at Market Hotel. “Beats in Bed” is out now via Styles Upon Styles. – Spirit Lust
Palomino Blond’s Bandcamp description states “sometimes sounds evil, sometimes sounds pretty.” I can’t think of a better way to say it. They are the other half of the previously mentioned split EP with Las Nubes, recently released through Bufu Records, and as their description would leave you to believe, they possess this amazing ability to write tracks that are both dark and addictingly catchy. “Seventh Heaven” is clearly no exception. It starts out with huge weaving, layered guitars, and soft sung vocals. Everything ties in together as the song proceeds leaving a very ominous feeling. Towards the end of the song, there is a sense that it may be fading to a close as the bass plays alone repeating a few notes. Then one guitar joins along while the other is making loads of dissonant noise. The vocals come back in with hauntings melodies in the breaks between the guitar noise. Each time they come back from a pause it seems there is more noise thrown on top. It keeps getting bigger and bigger until it ultimately trails off one final time. This unstoppable split EP is also available through Palomino Blond’s Bandcamp, so make sure you stop by one of their sites and buy one. – Jacob Saxton
Nadir Bliss aka Sean O’Hara aka 1/2 of Otra Vez released if you feel froggy, jump yesterday. This record is full of lo-fi pop home recordings and features collaborations with Olivia De Salvo of Come Softly and Taylor Mitchell of Abi Glass. The songs are relaxing, poetic and stress relieving for both the listener and Sean as well. Beautiful lyrics that ask questions both simple and philosophical in nature, flow throughout the record. An effortlessly touching and poppy record that’s sugar in the coffee of today’s music scene. O’Hara is prolific in recording and writing and I for one am extremely excited for his endless cycle of music. if you feel froggy, jump is out now via his bandcamp and is dedicated to his cat Dirtbike. – Spirit Lust