By It’s our Bandcamp Picks of the Week, featuring the genre bending R&B of Nourished by Time’s EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2 and the hazy down-and-out rock of Lewsberg’s OUT AND ABOUT!
Lewsberg – OUT AND ABOUT
Genre: Rock
Favorite Tracks: “Communion,” “Going Places”
Not to get all Andy Rooney, but we live in the age of atomic-level media sensationalism. Like, if That Thing can’t grab your very eyeballs amid the multimedia onslaught, did it even really exist? That’s why we really needed Lewsberg. The Netherlands-based outfit’s OUT AND ABOUT is a powerful study in the subtlety of engagement—which is to say, it’s a record that doesn’t demand its consumption through overt flash, accompanying drama, and/or other cheap ploys. This 11-track collection expertly presents itself for careful dissection by attentive listeners.
That doesn’t mean it’s not an exciting record. “Communion” is a Neil Young song by way of Pavement, a jam that cuts warm nostalgia with minor indie undertones. Same with “Out For Milk”; this bop’s sunny vibes portray a special commitment to earnestly exploring ’90s alt-rock. Still, they’re not instantly captivating, and it takes some dedicated listens for the magic to fully click. This is a truly deliberate and detail-oriented sound, and it’s very often about the little gestures as these defining movements. It’s the sparkle of the lead guitar in “Without A Doubt,” which informs this chipper-sounding, unassumingly deep ballad. Or the way the guitar and bass interact in “Going Places,” creating this uneven, absolutely compelling back-and-forth that’s hard to shake. It’s even the way guitarist Michiel Klein pitches his vocals in “Debbie”; that slight shift from his monotone bass exudes endless charm. It’s those tiny ideas that create a kind of patchwork of their collective vision for this record as a sonic haven for wandering. The devil’s in the detail, but so too are the layers of emotion that exist beneath the record’s surface.
Even without hiding, per se, there’s some “trickery” here. As much as it’s about the intricate and impactful details, it’s just as much about tweaking the emotional output. “The Joy Of Spring,” for instance, obfuscates the line between downer ballad and earnest love song, and in that uncertain space there’s both deeper context and a real sense of playfulness. It continues with “There’s A Poet In The Bushes”—sure that two-ish-minute hazy march lands big, but it’s Klein’s spoken word bit that plays a number of roles. And like the band want to draw you in sonically, they also want to keep these sentiments just open enough to tantalize and confuse. They draw us into areas where the ground doesn’t always feel solid, and there’s a power in crafting your own stability and sense of purpose with these rich layers and textures.
Lots of great bands make heaps of great records. Yes, Lewsberg deserve your ears for also making great tunes, but they’re equally brilliant for giving us something novel: a record as a kind of puzzle box, with all the sonic warmth and emotional nuance waiting for us to unlock. It’s not a complicated process—just takes ample time and commitment—but the end result’s more filling than a lot of things slung at us like so many Big Macs. Listen to it now over on Bandcamp. [Chris Coplan]
Nourished by Time – EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2
Genre: Alternative R&B, Bedroom Pop
Favorite Tracks: “Quantum Suicide,” “Shed That Fear,” “The Fields”
Marcus Brown’s healing music as Nourished by Time is profoundly sleek and fresh. His debut, EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2, follows a series of non-album singles which each covered alternative R&B, post-punk, and indie pop tones in a lustrous hypnagogic pop sheen. The first dose of EROTIC PROBIOTIC, a double A-side single from 2022, recalled the stilted synthpop of Depeche Mode’s late ‘80s tenure as Brown’s soulful, detuned singing matched that of Dean Blunt—imperfect but soulful. In this full-length sequel, Brown enlarges his scope by drawing from New York’s ‘80s freestyle and disco scenes, crafting infectious, vintage-sounding ballads about love and loss. One glance at the cover art makes everything clear—Brown is administering us a fresh dose of his cool musical vulnerability.
Opener “Quantum Suicide” pairs a chill, steady percussive groove with deep piano stabs. It establishes the sound palette for the rest of the album. Brown mimics the swaying cadence of the Backstreet Boys while assuring himself to keep on living: “There are some things I won’t be trying, trying.” The album’s early peak follows—“Shed That Fear” is an intimate art pop ballad cut from Arthur Russell’s school of thought. Russell’s meditative, adventurous sophisti-pop from his CALLING OUT OF CONTEXT compilation is best heard here, even down to Brown imitating his howling baritone. EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2 is worthwhile alone for “Shed That Fear,” not only for lyrically vanquishing the fear of death, but keeping Russell’s spirit alive by expertly leaning into his timeless mutant disco prowess.
The tempo is dialed up on the skittery electro-funk bangers “Daddy” and “The Fields,” both embellished with Brown’s whispers. The latter is a highlight, featuring propulsive hi-hats keeping his chanting bellows balanced on the angelic groove. The upbeat 808s conjure the crazed neon lights of a roller skating rink, reflecting Brown’s imaginative nostalgia. “Soap Party” contains a laid-back groove with lush synths and cascading pianos. Then, Brown’s at his most exuberant on the closer, “Unbreak My Love,” where he impassionately pleads to do just that—repeating that phrase to his fullest, coping with the existential sting of a fractured relationship. The ironically colorful raw guitar licks, twinkling chimes, and hand claps compound on this conclusive catharsis.
Admittedly, it’s hard to not make comparisons to other artists when Brown’s music is coated in many musical styles; his vocals naturally resembles others, and the alternative R&B influence is closely akin to producer Blood Orange, but Brown ultimately retains a unique voice. He understands what constitutes a nostalgic pop song, yet drenches it in newness. His emulation of freestyle and Miami bass music might be a footnote in his career, but his unabashedly slick demeanor on the cover shows that he’s got his exploration under control. Curated to around a swift half-hour, Nourished by Time’s EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2 is one of the year’s most overlooked pop records. It’s the sound of the summer just as much as it is for winter. Listen to Brown’s cunning artistry over on Bandcamp. [Domenico Lepore]
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