By Bandcamp Picks of the Week is back and better than ever
ION GLITCH – BEDROOM POP
Genre: Internet Pop
Favorite Tracks: “HELLFIRE / SNOWSTORM,” “I’LLBESEETHRU,” “MAGNOLIA”
Practically tailor-made for fervent forum appeal, ION GLITCH has it made as far as internet success is concerned: comparative anonymity, just enough of a facade of effortless care, and a firm grasp on the aesthetics of several mid-2010s musical movements. Allegedly composed of Snowee and Lil Divine, whoever they might be, ION GLITCH snuck onto the scene last year with a brief EP before kicking off 2019 with two taste-checking DJ mixes: Cartier God, James Ferraro, Uli K, Bladee, Spacegirl Gemmy, Juice WRLD, you get the gist. Thankfully, despite the downplayed byline of “seven songs snowee + lil divine made in the lightbox when they were bored lmao,” BEDROOM POP actually speaks of a creative and parameter-shifting grasp on post-whatever sensibilities, a regularly innovative, albeit occasionally frustrating, sendup of synthpop and cloud rap through the lens of the impossibly online. Sure, tracks such as “I WANNA BE A POPSTAR (BEDROOM POP)” are more interesting than traditionally enjoyable, a completely slack-jawed, zombie-eyed recitation of the standard wishes of stardom over a beat that sounds like it was cribbed from the Fisher-Price keyboard in Dracula’s child’s playroom, with regular noise interludes to boot, but any doubters will mostly be shut up by the utterly delightful opener, descended from the sparkling dance-pop Passion Pit or Stepdad could have made in 2010. The entirely competent grasp on straightlaced pop sensibilities reels its head again on the chorus of “I’LLBESEETHRU,” a would-be earworm in the hands of anyone else, compressed and flattened here into an uncanny emotionless valley. Closing out with a winking horrorshow flip of Playboi Carti’s “Magnolia,” if you’ve cut your teeth on the witch house and Drain Gangs of yesteryear you’ll have an easier point of entry, but there’s enough here for anyone to appreciate. You can listen to BEDROOM POP here. [Thomas Seraydarian]
Various Artists – SHERYL COMP
Genre: Covers
Favorite Tracks: N/A
Look, sometimes things don’t have to be complicated—that’s something that Chatterbot Records understands. Their recent compilation release SHERYL COMP features basically just one thing: covers of Sheryl Crow’s immortal and perfect 1996 release “If It Makes You Happy.” While recent artist compilation covers have run the gamut in regards to the songs they choose, SHERYL COMP fascinatingly does two things: establish the entire potential sonic pallet of a singular song through repetition, and give us a familiar song to introduce a new band to, both kind of genius sentiments for a compilation that is realistically giving us nine versions of the same track. On the heavier end of things, the opening cut from Dikembe is a weighty and powerful take that really lays into those opening guitar chords and never lets up, and Hit Like A Girl drag the cover violently through the mud, a thrashing, visceral, and angry version. Equipment deliver a sparkling bedroom pop interpretation, Foxwood give us a fitting acoustic emo rendition, and Dollhands provide an inspired lo-fi busking version, an across-the-subway reverberation on the song. And of course, if you’re looking for things to not make you happy, Elliot Brabant of Michael Cera Palin is here to gift you a dazzling and deadpanned take on one of Crow’s other major hits, “Soak Up The Sun.” Obviously your mileage may vary on how much you appreciate “If It Makes You Happy” in general, but it’s a well-curated collection of covers that is worth your time. And perhaps best of all, SHERYL COMP’s proceeds will be donated to No More Dysphoria, a non-profit organization whose goal is to help transgender individuals pay for major aspects of their transition. Sheryl Crow. Charity. A series of great new bands with which to check out. Nothing not to like here! Give SHERYL COMP a listen over on Chatterbot Records Bandcamp. [CJ Simonson]
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