TelePathiQ
Transformation
Self-Released
Street: 08.25
TelePathiQ = Rival Consoles + Massive Attack + VCMG
Hailing from Logan, originator Darrick Riggs along with live act–collaborator Kurt Aslett creates a classical-piano-and-professional-percussion powerhouse, crafting hypnotic contemporary electronic, ’90s trip-hop and ’80s British new wave vocals. Opening tracks “Unfinished Story” and “Truth” set a pleasantly complex stage for the wealth of ambience, highly danceable grooves and delicious, spiraling synth sequences this album has to offer. Layered and varied vocals and dark, brooding baselines befit Transformation’s contemplative lyrics as displayed on tracks like “Generation.” Electric organ and dissonant orchestral sounds open “Once in a Lifetime,” matched with a dramatic, somewhat pleading narrative. I discovered my body bobbing to the beats and feeling compelled to close my eyes and bliss out. There are gorgeous ghosts in this machine, the same machinations of predecessors Depeche Mode and Moby. I am curious if the second-to-last track “Devotion” was intended to be a nod to fellow Depeche devotees, because of its arrangements and exalting, spiritualistic lyrics on display. I strongly suspect Martin Gore would nod in approval were he to get his legendary hands on a copy of Transformation, and I would love to be a fly on that particular wall. Riggs’ classical training comes forward beautifully in “Undivided” and closing track “Introspection,” evoking images of a robotic Beethoven droid pounding away passionately on a Minimoog. This juxtaposition is met again in the plaintive and powerful “Breathe,” with melancholy violin joining the mix. The sophisticated musicality of Transformation is evident, as is the mastery of multiple electronic influences by its makers. In a landscape of electronica that often bleeds together and becomes indistinguishable, TelePathiQ have carved out complex sonic geography, creating a much-appreciated mark on the map. Explorers of the electronic, as well as lovers of contemporary classical music, would do themselves a favor by giving Transformation its due time. –Paige Zuckerman
OSITO
Sal
Self-Released
Street: 04.25
OSITO = The Weeknd + 4FRNT
Electronic artist OSITO has been a master collaborator for some time, having seen significant streaming success in his work with the likes of Double V, Roman Meeser and DJ Xquizit. Osito’s collabs have landed him badges of honor, charting on dance playlists internationally and being featured on Spotify highlights. Singles “Unison” and “Monster” have displayed OSITO’s dark yet strangely playful EDM, which handles the bitterness of love and life. OSITO is no slouch, having trained classically on the keys and studied at the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts in music production and audio engineering. OSITO has lent to numerous other artists, and Sal is the debut solo project proving his auditory acumen.
Sal, Spanish for salt, opens with “Jealousy,” a world music–influenced track with subtly autotuned vocals and a nearly pop vibe. Rhythmically, “Jealousy” is engaging and unusual, with dour lyrics but an upbeat feel. That same sensibility veers into “Twenty Four,” a reflection in disappointment and disenchantment as one ages into young adulthood. “Senseless” takes a slightly differing tonality, playing in warped R&B territory with clever and spontaneous sampling. The vocoder becomes heavy-handed in this track, a common trouble with the genre in which OSITO is supposedly dabbling with in Sal. Closing track “Monster” redeems Sal with a watery, roiling electronic energy matched by an appropriately grueling dubstep drop. Though the sounds of “Monster” can be grating, they convey the message of the song effectively, making it a standout track and a strong yet unsettling conclusion.
OSITO has indicated that a second EP will come on the heels of Sal, one which serves brighter, more summery vibes in time for the warmth of festival season. Until then, Sal offers listeners a lightly lamenting, rave-ready set of tracks certain to add a brooding edginess to your Saturday-night dance binge. –Paige Zuckerman
Sammy Brue
I Am Nice
New West
Street: 06.17
Sammy Brue = Bob Dylan + Woody Guthrie
Sammy Brue is a soulful teenage troubadour with the depth of Emerson and the emotionality of Dylan. A Utah native, Brue’s lyrical intensity and narrative maturity defy his fledgling fifteen years of age. Brue speaks to themes that one might assume would elude such a youthful conscience, yet he does so genuinely and without pretense. Deep, pensive tracks intermingle with proper knee-slapping tempos in I Am Nice, a 12-track Americana travelogue. Produced by Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes and John Paul White of The Civil Wars, I Am Nice is professional and clean to a unique extent for a debut indie-folk album. A joyfully retro journey into the anthems of the hippie era are reflected in “Was I The Only One” and “Lay Me Down.” “I Never Said” and “I’m Not Your Man” provide soft and lovely violin orchestration, lending all the lilting, maudlin vibes expected of a proper folk album. Rough-hewn tracks like “Covered In Blood” and “Control Freak” add a pleasant rockabilly counterpoint, including cool guitar riffs and vintage organ backing. Brue’s lyrical acumen is almost alarming, with the reflective disillusionment of a weathered old soul at the end of its leathery rope. “Once a Lover” wanders sadly as the second to last track, nearly evincing tears in the listener yet restraining them with blunted resignation. I Am Nice closes with “Salty Times,” an appropriately titled and pretty anthem to struggle and suffering. Sammy Brue speaks of the universal in human nature with a wit and wisdom that can easily connect with listeners across a wide variance of age and experience. –Paige Zuckerman
Psychology
Self-titled
Self-Released
Street: 02.27
Psychology = Sigur Rós + The 1975 + Tycho
Psychology is the brainchild of Utah-transplanted Brit singer/songwriter Colin Rivera. Hailing solidly from the alt-pop movement, Rivera nested in London to craft Psychology, preceded by several stunning career collaborations, with artists Chvrches and Mark Ronson and producers Daryl Bamonte of Depeche Mode. Rivera’s Psychology project is more than mere fruits of a brilliant resume. It is timely, taut and transformational. Opening with a riffy yet ambient “Insomnia,” this 10-track album is atmospheric and anticipation-building with strong pop melodies and hooks.
“Freak” picks up the pace and delights with subtle tinges of Rivera’s accent creeping through and speaking to the shared liberation of being “a freak like me.” The expansion and contraction of each track evokes images of fluorescing sea creatures fluttering through the blue with sudden bursts of glittery propulsion. One moment the listener is energized, the next lulled gently into a soft meditation. “Whispers” offers that same electronically influenced vibration with a rock edge, even verging on a post-punk sound. “Heart” is a track somewhat lost amid its cohorts, feeling vaguely fatigued and something of an afterthought B-side. Psychology ends competently with the rhythmic and slightly shimmery soundscapes of “Hope” and “Sleep,” proving that Rivera’s mind is effective machinery for the vision of the album.
The narrative of Psychology is perplexing, especially considering Rivera’s ostensible personal history. Internal conflict and spiritual rumination seem rife in the album, with some tracks being more transparent than others. Lyrically, Psychology feels a bit pompous at times, yet that energy is wholly congruent with the modern, more intellectual Brit-pop mentality, which bleeds boastfully on the reg. The vocals on Psychology can tire the ear a tad, with the occasional obdurate tone and slight shoutiness. In whole, Psychology is a standout in the local music scene and a solid spin for lovers of the ambient, eclectic pop territory. –Paige Zuckerman
Booyah Moon
Landing
Self-Released
Street: 01.04
Booyah Moon = Sonic Youth + Dinosaur Jr.
Recently formed, coed quintet, Booyah Moon are unpolished and honest. Early this year, they released their debut album Landing, just slightly past the EP threshold at a sparse seven tracks. Landing opens with “Fraidy Cat,” a roughshod and rapid snapshot on paranoia and emotional paralysis, which seems imbued with interesting meta-messages about the modern rationale for avoidance and chronic anxiety. Booyah Moon practices a melodic sensibility that offsets their punky, sometimes screamo-esque vocals which seem to reflect intent and self-awareness.
Landing is straightforward and stripped down, tracks are brief and direct and Booyah’s overall sound is austere. “Away for a Long Time” turns ever so slightly bluesy and folk in the spirit of Built to Spill, a method that is repeated on a few tunes in differing fashions. A disillusioned, comedic attitude takes over in track four, unravelling broken dreams and the commodification of resignation in “1-800-55D-REAM.” It’s unclear if this tune is a manifesto on capitalism and loss of identity, or a statement of resistance to abandoning one’s vision even in the face of economic and identity odds—Perhaps it is both. Either way, this track is the punkiest of the entire album and one for the slightly abashed Johhny Rotten fan in all of us. “Tin Man” detours to nearly a reggae vibe, with a juxtaposed positivity and stolid optimism, evoking a hippie-era lovefest. The inclusion of this track feels bewildering, yet clever. “Ghost” concludes Landing, with a return to the slightly dour sentiment of its sibling songs—yet with the longest runtime, an appropriate endpoint for a short, overall offering.
Lyrically, Landing is rich with sharp imagery and a variety of wounding metaphors. There’s a rusted, chrome-bumper feel to the album that manifests in most tracks via rough and prickly narrative and growling guitars with equally gravelly vocals. Landing is a slightly sophomoric, and fun selection of indie-rock sounds that seem to indicate that this local group have interesting places to go as they grow. –Paige Zuckerman
Nick Passey
Just Working Thru Some Shit
Self-released
Street: 04.21
Nick Passey = Tom Waits + Johnny Cash + Folk Hogan
Nick Passey establishes his deep yet occasionally comical and crass EP with sparse acoustics, surprising sonic twists and vulnerable themes. The collection was inspired by the insight of his therapist that his life struggles would at least make for clever songwriting. From the first track, the album hits with a nouveau Johnny Cash cogitation with drawling Michael Stipe vocals. Title track “Just Working Through Some Shit” and its surrounding songs walk the line between thoughtful hipster folk and “my wife left me and my dog died” classic country. Passey transparently attempts to unpack the proverbial baggage rather than merely wallow in it.
The track list upholds a cerebral indie mentality yet remains firmly rooted in the country formula. Passey’s lyrics occasionally feel shoehorned and goofy, yet it’s apparently intended to be playful execution of even the heaviest of topics. “Non Believer” is a deep, existential meditation with quiet, marching snare drums in the background.
“Afterglow” and “Building Up My Tolerance” are an ode to heartbreak and love addiction supported with classic blues guitar and pleasantly staccato spoons for percussion. “Tears Me Up” is a lovely and melancholy tune with haunting echoes as if sung across a canyon during a desperate stop on a lonely road trip. Just Working Thru Some Shit is folk for Millennials, veering from acerbic wit to emotional weightiness. Passey is a skilled storyteller whose music never interrupts his narrative and cleverly accompanies it with a solid dose of heart. –Paige Zuckerman
Daniel Murtaugh
The Daze Of Irie
Ninja-San Records
Street: 08.01
Daniel Murtaugh = Jason Mraz + Sublime
Daniel Murtaugh began his musical maturation upon acquiring his first “real” guitar at age nine. Before he could drive he was performing his songwriting live. His The Daze of Irie is a chimeric collection of 15 tracks that surprise and aspire to inspire, with a resounding hopefulness and, as the title would transparently suggest, an island-reggae positivity.
The album opens with glistening electronics, strummed guitar and a radio voice preaching the universality and connecting potential of music, setting the stage for the overall tone of the LP. The eclecticism of the album is often impressive, showcasing ambient, reggae, folk and new age. Murtaugh is sometimes tough to pin down, yet his melodic skill and lyrical lovefest are just as tough not to enjoy. Tracks like “#3” are sweet and simple without being candied and cloying. The piano work on the album is impressive, especially when it’s met with glinting moments of electronics and programmed drums. “Little Things” is a lovely combination of poppy personality, folksy influences and clever sound engineering, with almost a mid-career U2 vibe. Throughout, it becomes apparent how Murtaugh transitioned from being a rock-folk artist into a more produced and polished persona.
Into the second half of the album, Murtaugh takes his stand in West Coast ska and dub that carries though to the end as performed unmistakably in “Black Flag” and “California.” Track 10 even treats listeners to the obligatory steel drum break. The island vibes hold steady to the end, to the extent that perhaps Murtaugh’s apparent perseveration on the Pacific lifestyle become a tad culturally problematic and a bit hard to connect with for local landlubbers. The Daze of Irie is something like your favorite icy. fruity mixed drink on a beach: sweet, tart, tasty and a little much if consumed too quickly or in excess. –Paige Zuckerman
The Signal Sound
Broken Homes
Self-Released
Street: 07.14
The Signal Sound = Green Day + The All-American Rejects + Yellowcard
From the first track, The Signal Sound’s Broken Homes is like a warm dose of early-2000s high school nostalgia. Anthemic and jaded yet pretty alt—pop punk and classic aughts-rock are the stylings of this album from start to end. It’s perhaps an apt offering in light of the cyclical return of ‘90s popular culture and Gen X fashion sense. Listening to the album, there are heaps of visual imagery of skate parks, summer music festivals and wide-leg denim. The lyrics are evocative; the smart syncopation indicates that the band’s percussionist is an apparent pro; the vocals are clean; and the execution of their genre feels expert. As the album’s title would suggest, Broken Homes is a defensive ode to intimate relationship strife, and tracks like “Broken Homes and Stolen Hearts” and “Get Close” reflect a resignation and retaliation by their spurned storyteller. A common challenge of this genre is a tendency toward redundant and formulaic songs, furthered by the sheer volume of tracks on offer. However, “Running In Circles,” “Be Still” and “Seen A Ghost” offer pleasant and acoustically rich respites from the driving tone of surrounding tunes. “Long Goodbyes” smacks of a possible alternative radio hit via a solid and dynamic melody. Broken Homes is well-produced, likable, energetic, displaced heartbreak rock. Grab your skate shoes and your first-gen iPod and you’ll most surely enjoy this album. –Paige Zuckerman
Sulane
Ad Astra
Self-Released
Street: 6.5.18
Sulane = Brand New + Modern Lovers + Dinosaur Jr
Salt Lake local JP Krein has been playing and crafting music since age 12. An artist on all fronts, Krein is part of Inkjar, a regional artist collective aimed at fostering bonds between the local arts and music communities.
Starting off the LP, “Beehive” opens with a distant, vintage piano, strangely offset yet making for an engaging beginning. Classic punk vibrations pick up properly in “Circuits” with vocals irrefutably recalling the ethos of Jonathan Richman. “Believe In This/Glisten” is an emo dream track with nihilistic romanticism and a synthy, acoustic guitar tailing in the background. The personality of this album is proto-punk to a T, with slight sonic deviations and an underlying flippancy. Separation takes on a garage-Strokes-cover-band feel, with Krein’s vocals suddenly transforming into a striking and slightly gritty Julian Casablancas simulaid.
Lyrically, Ad Astra is as traditionally punk as them come, perhaps so organic and stripped back to the genre standard that it would struggle to stand out. Several tracks, however, detour into industrial and post-punk arenas, with “The Swift Decline” manifesting classic screamo vocals with a clippy drum machine, mimicking early 2000s Trent Reznor. Klein is ostensibly a master of mimicry, which may be a gift and a burden to his aural individuality. He’s capable of sourcing several brilliant predecessors in a single LP, and would benefit from further sending his sound in and out of the fire to temper it fully.
Ad Astra ends with “To Ashes”, a speak-and-spell-esque track with dour, self-deprecating sentiments and mostly a stark, kiddie keyboard backing. The track transitions intermittently to Krein’s sniffling and shuffling as he picks up into the second half. The naturalism of this closing tune is as odd and interesting as the intro track, leaving the listener just as perplexed as from jump street. Ad Astra is a solid DIY addition the stream of the local scene, and hopefully an opportunity to further refine a sound built from the sparks of several immortal patriarchs of punk. –Paige Zuckerman
The Wicked Notions
I Love You, but I’ll Never Tell You How Much
Self-Released
Street: 06.01
The Wicked Notions = Nine Inch Nails + Placebo + The Neighbourhood
The Wicked Notions struck an alt-rock chord in early 2016. Long-locked and stoic frontman and songwriter Drew Rindlisbacher fetched an unmistakable Eddie Vedder likeness, and the band’s stripped-back sound was simple and gritty. In the ensuing year and a half, The Wicked Notions have displayed an acoustic transformation. Their freshly dropped EP I Love You, but I’ll Never Tell You How Much is a mix of brooding electro-pop with a tinge of R&B and mid-’90s Goth rock. They deliver hefty, dour and often existential messages via dark yet accessible and surprisingly danceable tracks in this new conceit. Clean and clever sampling blends with straightforward melodic sophistication and interesting use of vocal and sonic distortion. “Graves” and “Red Lights” are potent electronic tracks with catchy looping synth sequences. Rindlisbacher gives a consistent and smooth vocal performance that rivals any hyper-polished pop act, yet it maintains a subtle rock sensibility. Tracks like “New Kids” make The Wicked Notions’ contemporary sound slightly difficult to distinguish from major-market cohorts of the currently prospering electronic pop genre, yet their ability to play with the bigger boys may ultimately be one of their strong suits. “Tell Me You Don’t Love Me” and the EP title track embody sometimes frustrating lyrical scarcity and repetition, yet the whole of this collection is well produced and sonically indulgent without being overwrought. The Wicked Notions’ evolution indicates an ability to flex musical muscles and match industry trends yet maintain artistic integrity. As a devotee to electronic music in all its incarnations, upon digesting this new EP, I find myself quietly convinced that The Wicked Notions have found a keyhole in their sound and are headed through the door to bigger, brighter places. –Paige Zuckerman
The Wicked Notions @ Beanstock 07.08
Monsoonal rainfall served a sudden respite from Saturday’s sweltering heat, and The Wicked Notions were an equally wild and refreshing distraction. After a fun, fumbling soundcheck, the band quickly awoke the small crowd at the equally minute local food-bank benefit, Beanstock, with an energetic and all-out rocking set. They played several selections from their recently self-released EP paired with new offerings replete with impressive solos from the five band members. Although their recent offerings lean strongly on dark electronic sounds, their live performance is as pure as any alternative rock band can offer. The humorous stage presence of their charming frontman, Drew Rindlisbacher—especially in interaction with his lovable bandmates—is an absolute treat. Having worked through a recent two-week head cold via the supporting heaps of hot tea and honey, Rindlisbacher’s vocals were unflappably clean and versatile, from brooding depth to pseudo-rapping to screaming on pitch. The band’s confidence is palpable without being excessively grandiose. I find myself curious to see The Wicked Notions more fully explore and unfold their sonic, kinetic and visual identity. Ostensibly, this talented local group has the musical chops, and the package it’s wrapped in could use a bit more ears. The gig was a short set list, and no doubt I would have gladly imbibed a full two-hour show by the band without fatiguing. The Wicked Notions graced a small and humble stage this time, and perhaps grander venues and greater crowds are in their not-so-distant future.
