Category: albums/eps

[album] Connections – Cool Change

acute.pop

Connections from Columbus (Ohio) return with a new record titled Cool Change, on which the band draws on a wide range of influences, from punk rock to classic rock to DIY indie.

The result is a sound that is both cohesive and extremely catchy, with a sense of playfulness that is characteristic of the best traditions of the US indie rock music scene. Throughout the album, the group’s songwriting shines, with lyrics capturing all possible themes, both hyper-regional and universal. The vocals are raw and emotive, perfectly complementing the band’s rock sound.

Listen below and purchase the LP here, out now via Trouble In Mind Records.

[ep] Wilt/Plvce – Design Festa

acute.pop

Design Festa is a six-track extended play released by the Italian post-punk duo Wilt/Plvce. Out now on independent record label Dirty Beach Records, it demonstrates the band’s dark mixture of post-punk and noise rock.

Throughout the record, Wilt/Plvce display their knack for creating atmospheric soundscapes that transport the listener to another world. With a strong DIY/lo-fi spirit, the duo neatly produce a noisy wall-of-sound type of rippers with angry lyrics and loud, hazy vocal delivery. Brilliant stuff.

Stream below and buy the record here (also available on tape).

[album] Flyying Colours – You Never Know

acute.pop

Active since 2011, Melbourne shoegazers Flyying Colours returned on Friday with the brand new LP titled You Never Know, out now via Club AC30 and Poison City Records. It is a standout release in their discography and a defining moment for shoegaze genre lovers.

The album features 10 tracks that showcase the band’s signature blend of dream pop and psychedelic rock and includes the most memorable hooks in their career so far. The group is often compared to bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, but with years on the scene, they have carved out their own unique brand of shoegaze and artistic vision.

Stream below and purchase the record here.

[album] Dutch Uncles – True Entertainment

acute.pop

Few contemporary bands manage to be so consistently great as Dutch Uncles do. This Manchester group masterfully mixes various influences in their music and combines them into one organic whole.

Their eclectic parade of intricate rhythms, angular guitar lines, and off-kilter song structures are always led by the distinctively high voice of frontman Duncan Wallis, who adds a spark to the instrumentals.

On the group’s latest LP True Entertainment, the recipe for success does not change, with the band once again showcasing their songwriting skills. The intricate arrangements create a sound that is both complex and accessible, and staccato in the choruses works very well. Wallis, as always, fills the songs with references and creative, quotable lyrics.

Stream below and buy the album here.

[ep] Gentle Ropes – Wounds

acute.pop

Wounds, a new EP of Kyiv outfit Gentle Ropes is a haunting and atmospheric exploration of darkwave, post-punk, and electronic music.

It consists of five tracks that are intense and introspective, reflecting on themes of pain, loss, and the struggle to find one’s place in the world (last year musician was forced to leave his home due to a full-scale Russian military invasion in Ukraine).

The centrepiece of the release is “Krov”, a relentless and driving piece of industrial dance music sung in the Ukrainian language. With its moody synths, pulsing beats, and haunting vocals, this mini-album is a real treat for fans of everything dark.

Listen below and purchase the EP here.