Brilliantly combining the art of sound design with unforgettable songwriting, Montréal-based synth-pop duo Automelodi is led by the inspiring studio engineering and magnetic persona of singer/producer Xavier Paradis. Showcasing his master ability to design infectious rhythms, rich bass lines, and brooding hooks, Automelodi expertly crafts a listlessly romantic aesthetic embodied by Paradis’ dynamic voice and eloquent French lyrics. Founded in 2006, his lengthy discography includes titles under his former moniker Arnaud Lazlaud and collaborations with artists like Liz Wendelbo of Xeno and Oaklander as the duo Liz and László. Paradis further elevated his poignant compositions with the addition of Dillion Steele on guitar in 2015, resulting in a refined focus on color and arrangement that is deeply engaging for both party-goers and analog synth connoisseurs alike. Automelodi has made a lasting impression on the world of avant-garde synth-pop, transcending limitations of genre while creating catchy and compelling art.

Automelodi - Mirages au futur verre-brisé

Automelodi - Surlendemains acides

From the ashes of now defunct Texas darkwave trio Medio Mutante, Mariana Saldaña (//TENSE//) and José Cota (SSLEEPERHOLD), are back as duo BOAN. The pair resurrected their hardware-based dance pop with an updated sensibility that is both dark and modern. Expressed in equal parts English and Spanish, vocalist Saldaña delivers cold yet catchy hooks over Cota’s infectious synth lines and aggressive analog beats. In the tradition of bands like Absolute Body Control, Fad Gadget, and Snowy Red, BOAN continue to expand their own addictive take on electronic minimalism while perpetuating the timeless aesthetic that has kept MM’s cult following alive and raging.

BOAN - Mentiras (HD030)

Synthesizing a uniquely colorful world of his own, Bay Area producer Chris Polcyn merges flavors of 90’s electronica with new age, acid house and dub to form a relaxing sound that pulses with vibrance and rhythm. Working from a set of early digital hardware, Polcyn beams with timeless energy and brilliant production that pays homage to a variety of classic dance genres. His soothing, down-tempo atmosphere evolves in ever-immersive waves of reassuring vocal samples, crystalline synth melodies, fresh basslines and slow-grinding drum machines. With poetic arrangement and a radiant aura of positivity, Chris Polcyn has tapped into a lavish and comforting groove that is impossible to resist.

FFO: Larry Heard • Fatima Yamaha • Octo Octa • Plaid

Chris Polcyn - “Breathe”

Curved Light is the emerging solo project of Austin’s latest hardware synth composer Peter Tran. Originally from the Baltimore/DC area, Peter had several collaborative and solos projects before trading in the bulk of his massive home studio for compact, modular synth rigs and moving to Austin in 2015. In addition to his natural flair for experimentation, Peter truly shines at crafting pieces with sophistication beyond the standard practice of modular synthesizers. Tran's music is expressive and dense, evolving a personal articulation within its electronically engineered voice. This design allows the tone to narrate each composition and makes Curved Light a hallmark for the true authorship of sound. 

Curved Light - Channelview (HD042)

Producer and Austin native Dylan Cameron has established a dedicated following thanks in part to the re-emergence of live electronic shows and underground dance culture in his hometown. Interweaving a spectrum of subgenres, Cameron seamlessly moves from ambient 2-step rhythms to screwed four on the floor and house beats with the finesse of a seasoned veteran. Dylan’s background in studio recording allows for a precise ear and an attention to detail while performing his banging, hardware-based live sets. Working as the long-time in-house producer and engineer for Holodeck Records, his contribution to Austin's electronic and experimental scene is both far reaching and highly regarded.

Dylan Cameron - Infinite Floor

Dylan Cameron - “Dust Lust”

Reverently expanding the rules of tradition, experimental acoustic guitar duo FiRES WERE SHOT engineer a spectrum of tonal odysseys while elaborating American folk roots. For over two decades, Clay Walton and John Wilkins have embraced abstract methods to compose transformative six-string instrumental duets that range from Appalachian ragas to textural collages. Fusing classic fingerpicking with modern effects and unorthodox techniques, Walton & Wilkins breach the expectations and limits of guitar playing to spring forth new pan-genre horizons. Walton & Wilkins are both native Texans who started playing music and studying various instruments at an early age. As adults, they became friends in college and eventually settled into the musical hub of Austin in the mid-’90s. After years of divergent musical paths, the pair bonded over the tactile physicality and pure sounds of the acoustic guitar, forming FiRES WERE SHOT in 1998. Applying Walton’s education in classical guitar with Wilkins’ experience in shoegaze and post-rock bands, FiRES WERE SHOT began constructing unconventional songs fundamentally rooted in the traditional. Their sound became defined by radiating hints of folk and bluegrass processed and looped through heavy delay, developing layers of depth within cascading cycles of melodic progressions. Skillfully orchestrating everything from delicate pad swells to thick percussion, Walton & Wilkins use devices like slides, bows, screwdrivers and even power tools to play the guitar, building a variety of sounds from one instrument. In addition to their lengthy discography of LP’s, EP’s, cassette releases and film scores, the duo have archived over one hundred hours of demo work on four-track tapes, forming a distinctly timeless aesthetic that merges eras and genres. Drawing from an array of influences, FiRES WERE SHOT have continued to proliferate their mystique with an unflagging dedication to their inventive process.

FiRES WERE SHOT - “Dripping Bright”

FiRES WERE SHOT - Fallen

Austin-based duo Flatliner expertly crafts their dance-based sonic dystopia using a formidable collection of high-end studio equipment. With a deep love for vintage analog synthesizers, dedicated hardware enthusiasts Adam Fangsrud and Jesse Strait have honed an emotionally rich brand of pop driven by tonal precision and potent songwriting. Flatliner's uncompromising production standards transform their volumes of expansive studio experimentation into an ominous, yet seductive, euphoria.

Flatliner - “The Light Behind Your Eyes”

Flatliner - Black Medicine

Since 2012, Neil Lord (member of Thousand Foot Whale Claw, Single Lash) has recorded a prolific catalog of titles under the Future Museums moniker out of Austin. Much of his work has been in collaboration with a rotating ensemble of various musicians, but Lord frequently ventures on solo endeavors as well. Future Museums integrates select themes from vintage Kosmische and ambient post-rock to embody a rich and natural essence that is wholly unique. Lord’s delicate touch on guitar, synth and drum machine is deeply immersive and satisfying, voicing an authentic aura of truth and identity through sound.

Future Museums - “Leaving the Vessel”

Future Museums - Rosewater Ceremony Part II: Guardian of Solitude

Future Museums - Rosewater Ceremony 

Emerging like an ornate relic of disenchanted youth, Austin-based power trio Grivo combine slow, methodical hooks and warm tube amplifiers to artfully re-establish the link between heavy guitars and downtempo pop. Grivo’s massive tones and effects are utilized as active compositional elements, brilliantly crafting and pacing their infectious riffs to allow the saturated guitars and bruising low-end to fully bloom. Born and raised in small-town Michigan, Grivo is led by guitarist/vocalist Timothy Heck who founded the band with his brother and drummer Matthew. The Heck brothers have shared a life-long musical partnership, starting as jazz-obsessed teenagers before diving into the punk and hardcore scenes of the Midwest in their early twenties. After years of intensive touring, they sought new inspiration and slower tempos, opting to relocate to Austin in 2015. Timothy adopted a reserved and accessible approach to songwriting, evoking empathy through minor key signatures while constructing intricate walls of auditory mass. Within the tidal sound waves and bleak timbre, Grivo forges a distinctive personal connection that challenges the modern definitions of doom metal and shoegaze

Grivo - Elude (HD049)

Arising at the forefront of contemporary underground pop, Chicago-based duo GRÜN WASSER shapes the course of minimal electronic music and blurs the boundaries of art, songwriting and performance. Vocalist Keely Dowd and producer Essej Pollock artfully bend and reconfigure popular trends in dance music into unconventionally catchy songs and a powerful live show. Their unique mix of hardware, software and sampling coalesce into irresistible rhythms and driving sequences that fuse perfectly with Dowd’s distinctive alto voice, forming music that is as instantly appealing as it is fascinating. As longtime friends, Dowd and Pollock formed GRÜN WASSER in 2015 out of the rich cultural hub of Chicago. Both had backgrounds in punk and electronic music and together crafted a dynamic live act that fit within a variety of niche genres and scenes. Dowd candidly speak out against hyper-masculinity and challenge misogynistic cultural norms. The lyrics of her songs have become woven into the live performance, with Dowd often venturing into the crowd and confronting audience members with an intensely honest portrayal of feminine empowerment. Perfectly paired, Pollock’s thumping, experimental beats complement Dowd’s hypnotic vocals and gripping stage presence, making GRÜN WASSER a potent combination of pop and art. Compositions are delivered within organic arrangements that often deviate from a typical verse-chorus format, representing the revolving tides of raw emotional expression. GRÜN WASSER’s use of textural samples gives an environmental context, enhancing the composition and revealing influences from hip-hop, house and industrial music. Pollock’s abstract percussion techniques incorporate real-world sounds with high-hat rolls and thick sub bass, adding a gritty undertone to their polished sound design. Swells of backing vocals add highlights of nuanced melody that swirl in and around Pollock’s dense synthwork and precise drum programming.

GRÜN WASSER - Not Ok with Things out October 4th, 2019

After years spent mastering the rich tones of analog synthesizers, Dallas-based solo hardware producer Jake Schrock’s timeless aesthetic is unbeholden to contemporary trends and appeals to library music collectors and synth-pop fans alike. Born and raised in suburban North Texas, Schrock knew early on that his love for music would become a lifelong endeavor. At the age of 19, Schrock enrolled in sound recording school where he met fellow student Michael Stein, who would later become a member of electronic quartet S U R V I V E and an Emmy award winning composer for the massively successful Stranger Things soundtrack. Schrock and Stein became instant friends and bonded over their mutual love for analog electronics while sharply honing their studio engineering and production skills. The unmistakable charm of vintage instruments inspired Schrock’s penchant for sound design and has become the driving force and signature sound behind his work. After developing his own process in the studio, Schrock emerged with an approach that weaves classic genres with transcendent moods, resulting in a balanced and expressive mix of music with satisfying depth and distinct maturity.

Jake Schrock - Tropical Depression (HD052)

Defying genre definitions with his ever-evolving process, Austin-based electronic composer JU4N fuses elements of new age, neoclassical and modern jazz into an innovative art form all his own. Utilizing the expressive sound design capabilities of FM synthesis as his canvas, JU4N playfully dives into avant-minimalism via MIDI-controlled sequencing on both vintage hardware and modern software. Fractured melodies meticulously coalesce into driving, multi-layered compositions that cycle through a beautiful cast of nostalgic tones and morphing polyrhythms. Beyond the veneer of shimmering crystal bells and glassy digital piano, JU4N’s imaginative exploration and understated complexity reach for new heights of refinement on each passing phrase.

JU4N - Vaporware (HD010)

Hailing out of Austin, abstract pop duo Lachane’s unique use of industrial trap beats and chopped & screwed vocals offers a fresh take on contemporary electronic music. Lachane formed in 2015 out of Austin’s deep synth community when singer and producer Melissa Cha bonded with guitarist Ryan Garl over their backgrounds in ambient music and mutual love for rap. Lachane rejects all things upbeat in favor of drudging, half-time rhythms and slowly melting synth and guitar tones. Lachane’s songwriting embraces hopelessness as a method of expressing beauty and has found a compelling union of ominous mood and dense texture. 

LACHANE - s/t (HD046)

Emerging from Dallas’ burgeoning underground, LLORA is the solo project of synth-pop vocalist and producer Llandon Broadhead whose enigmatic persona meets head-on with cold, driving dance beats and unforgettable hooks. LLORA’s extravagant wardrobe and passionate live performance go beyond catchy pop bangers for an immersive experience with both wide and deep appeal. This exciting new voice in electronic music speaks to analog enthusiasts and dedicated club kids alike with impressive production skills reinforcing their haunting vocals and provocative lyrics.

LLORA - “Bad Behavior”

Playfully capturing the hearts and minds of her fans, Austin-based Parisian synth-pop starlet Lou Rebecca has mastered the art of sophistication in pop music. Born and raised in Paris as the daughter of accomplished musicians, Lou started playing piano at the age of five and received an early education in the history of jazz, classical music and film scores. Lou grew to become a prolific songwriter and skilled vocalist, moving through phases in everything from rock to disco while continually adding to her repertoire of talents in each successive stage. In 2014, she began exploring the world of synthesizers and composing with electronics rather than traditional instruments, sparking her true artistic voice and partially inspiring her to relocate to the United States the following year. As she settled into the dense music scene of Austin, Lou methodically expanded her output to incorporate both dance and filmmaking as essential elements of her artistic expression. This multifaceted approach to pop music has engaged a rapidly burgeoning group of devotees eager for an artist with authenticity and sophistication. With the addition of Josh Mills (Missions) as her production and writing partner, Lou has found a perfect compliment for her creative vision in the studio and onstage, enhancing the depth of her songs and spotlighting her magnetic persona. The shining trajectory of a rising star is difficult to capture but impossible to ignore. 

Lou Rebecca - Restless

Lou Rebecca - s/t 

Born and raised in the pocket of New England, multi-instrumentalist M. Geddes Gengras made his way out to Los Angeles in 2005 and has ceaselessly added projects and releases to his ever broadening discography ever since. Antique Brothers, Sun Araw, Fantastic Ego, Robedoo, Pocahaunted and Dogwiper are just a few of his many incarnations and collaborations that have put him in high demand as a performer, composer and producer. Now performing and recording under his own name, Gengras has developed an impeccable reputation for his modular synth work and multi-layered sound design. Continuing his prolific release schedule of LPs and tapes for a myriad of established and rising labels, Geddes’ shows no sign of slowing down and constantly finds new ways to reinvent himself.

M. Geddes Gengras - Beyond the Curtain (HD007)

Reviving the essence of Krautrock and classic horror soundtracks, veteran composer and multi-instrumentalist AE Paterra has been performing and recording experimental music in a multitude of projects for over two decades. Known best as one half of highly influential prog duo Zombi, the Pittsburgh area native established his solo identity as Majeure in 2009. Paterra’s arrangements of analog synthesizers, live drums and delicate sound design sculpt a fantastic array of gripping instrumental music that sparks the imagination. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, Paterra learned piano as a child and started playing drums in high school. Naturally gravitating towards the creativity and virtuoso style of 70’s and 80’s prog, metal and classic rock, Paterra excelled at percussion and developed a high level of musicianship by the time he moved to Pittsburgh to attend college. After stints drumming with various collaborative projects and touring bands, Paterra met bass and synth player Steve Moore in 1999 and bonded over their mutual love for Italian horror scores and bands like Goblin. The duo released their first album as Zombi in 2001 and have since become widely regarded as one of the best prog bands of the modern era, organically honing a distinct sound and dedicated fanbase over the course of their lengthy discography. After several successful albums and years of touring with Moore, Paterra established his solo identity as Majeure in 2009 to explore nuanced interests outside of the scope of the band. Since then, Paterra has continued his prolific career with both Zombi and as a solo artist in addition to numerous side projects including film scores, gallery residencies, founding his own tape label, and in 2017 he became the synth player in experimental rock band Grails. Throughout his extensive portfolio of work, Paterra continues to return to his self-reflective base as Majeure, adding new innovative chapters to his remarkable and ever-growing legacy.

Majeure - Mass Flashback

From the prolific cultural epicenter of Montréal, Marie Davidson has emerged as one of the foremost electronic artists in contemporary underground pop today. As a long-time member of Les Momies de Palerme, Hotel Monochrome, DKMD, and Essaie Pas, Marie continues to hone her many talents in the region's fervent electronic and experimental communities. In 2012 Marie began her solo work, revealing an artist with remarkably heightened compositional skills behind a sequencer as well as a seductively charismatic voice. Davidson's intimate self-journalism is embodied through a host of synthesizers and drum machines that coalesce in synchronized harmony, punctuated by Marie's hypnotic vocal delivery, sung and spoken in both French and English.

Marie Davidson - Un Autre Voyage (HD033)

Austin based multi-instrumentalist Michael C. Sharp is best known to Holodeck fans as one of the creative forces behind psych/ kosmische ensemble Sungod, where he plays guitar, drums, and synthesizer. Sharp plays various instruments in a long list of other projects as well, making him one of Austin’s most active and prolific musicians. Michael C. Sharp as a self-titled solo musician is a classic mix of effects driven ambient tones, analog sequences, and layers of echo drenched guitar leads. Sharp’s semi free form style of song building allows each piece to have a structural anchor with plenty of room for his technical musicianship to shine.

Michael C. Sharp - “Motor Pt. 2: White Lines”

Michael C. Sharp - Never Enough Time

Through the use of drum machines, synthesizers and electronic vocals, Los Angeles-based electro-pop savant Josh Mills adds a rich emotional gradient and a fresh rhythmic step to the archetypal darkwave narrative as Missions. Mills’ addictive bass lines and smooth drum beats are produced and arranged with the proficiency of a polished studio engineer, while the core of his craftsmanship explores the shaded nuances of seduction and vulnerability. Mills was born and raised in Texas and spent the bulk of his adult life developing his sound within the dense synth community of Austin alongside bands like S U R V I V E and BOAN. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2017, Mills has maintained a heavy collaborative side to his career, working with Emmy Award winning Stranger Things composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein as well as writing, producing and performing with Parisian pop starlet Lou Rebecca. With Missions, Mills methodically constructs infectious rhythms interspersed with moments of pure cinematic beauty as he carefully masters the intricate balance of style and technique. Reminiscent of late ’70s and early ‘80s electro-boogie, the vocals of Missions are synthesized through a vocoder, injecting a vibrant groove into the often cold realm of contemporary dance music. In addition to his lush synth tones and driving sequences, one of the most significant characteristics of Missions’ sound is the heavy half-time swing of the drum programming, revealing an intrinsic worldview with hip-hop and R&B ingrained into the fabric of his musical vocabulary. This infusion of bounce and swagger underlines his wistfully drab overtones, resulting in a stylistically complex and intensely fascinating project that defies strict genre classifications. Mills’ catchy melodies and clever arrangements are indicative of a brilliant pop talent with the lens of a skilled composer, showcasing a unique blend of influences that are both innovative and classic.

Misssions - Subcreature

Future Museums - “Leaving the Vessel (Missions Remix)”

Missions - “Loversnight” (Supermax Cover)

Following his chart-topping success as one half of avant-pop duo Niwea, producer/vocalist Dawid Szczęsny’s solo incarnation as NORMAL ECHO takes an elegantly somber approach to synth-based pop. Born and raised in Poland, Szczęsny was always fascinated by sample-based composition, drawing inspiration from hip-hop and electronic producers, including artists from his flourishing local scene. Szczęsny’s unique sound sources range from library music to a more abstract, musique concrète approach of capturing and processing ambient noises from everyday life. Using microphones, tape players, vinyl records and hardware samplers to perform and arrange his pieces, Szczęsny’s early textural work eventually led to a partnership with renowned visual artist turned poet and vocalist Wojciech Bąkowski, forming the hugely successful duo Niwea in 2009. After two critically acclaimed albums, several hit songs and headlining festival appearances, Szczęsny honed his skills and confidence as a vocalist while singing backup in the band. The pair eventually parted ways in 2012 to pursue other projects and Szczesny began exploring a new mode of songwriting focused around his voice, adopting the solo moniker NORMAL ECHO and relocating to Berlin. Along with a shift towards the use of synthesizers, drum machines and guitar, Szczęsny’s smooth voice and cold delivery became NORMAL ECHO’s signature sound, earning him a new audience beyond his devoted Niwea fans. Now based in Vancouver, Szczęsny’s romanticized darkness lays the foundation for powerfully suspenseful minimalism that resonates between each evocative and timeless phrase of NORMAL ECHO.

Hailing from Oakland, new age producer Steve Rosborough established Omni Gardens in 2017 with the intention of maintaining an atmosphere of heightened cognition through sound design. Using a variety of synthesizers, Rosborough ​crafts a lucid and natural environment that breathes and blooms harmoniously. Speed and rhythm are implied with immersive and soothing tones that transform the listener’s state of consciousness and obscure the notion of linear time. Rosborough ​meticulously constructs soundscapes to meld with the brainwave frequencies of calm and focused thought, auspiciously creating a tranquil reprieve from the traditional bonds of music while crafting a pointedly sonic experience. Dissolving tension while awakening introspection, Omni Gardens captures a unique essence of euphoria with the creativity of a true inward journeyman.

Omni Gardens - West Coast Escapism (HD053)

Standing at the nexus of digital design, homemade electronics and performance art, Austin-based experimental IDM producer and sound artist pulseCoder has mastered an array of complex talents. Using hacked arcade controllers to manipulate a host of self-made synthesizers, lighting and visual art, pulseCoder’s expressive multi-media performances are a spectacle of technology and inspiring craftsmanship. This amalgamation of cascading alien soundscapes, futuristic bass lines and glitched out dance beats have coalesced into a dynamic sound with both abstract and mass appeal. As a career educator, Kyle Evans aka pulseCoder operates a school for music & visual technology, placing him at the forefront of innovation and the cultivation of new modern art.

FFO: Autechre • Baseck • Oval • Second Woman

pulseCoder - “Hypermuck”

Since 2010, Beau Devereaux has chronicled their romantic and turbulent process of self-identification as Samantha Glass through the use of electronics, field recordings and a seductive, baritone voice. Abstract soundscapes rise and fall around addictively brooding ballads and introspective monologues as Glass deconstructs themself beneath the weight of their poetry and lyrics. Devereaux spent most of their adult life engrossed in noise, power violence and punk DIY scenes, however Glass sought to create a balanced form of art representative of their ever fluid sexuality and gender identity while incorporating elements of dark wave, musique concrète and New Age music. Samantha Glass evolved into an outlet for drag-based performance art coupled with drum machines, cassette loops and down-tempo crooning. Glass richly crafts each composition around deeply rooted biographical and contemporary themes, reverently embodying an enticing blend of outsider art.

Samantha Glass - Nine Memories Between Impression and Imprint (HD047)

Samantha Glass - Preparation for a Spot in the World (HD032)

Nicolas Nadeau ​audaciously ​bares all as the frontman of Austin’s preeminent shoegaze ensemble Single Lash​. Heavy walls of effects drenched guitars and synthesizers back Nadeau​’s dejected vibrato and woefully honest song writing that epitomizes the art of crestfallen chic. Single Lash ​delivers introspectively satiating songs that emote the existential struggles of heartache and loneliness through thick layers of feedback draped across a driving rhythms. Lush instrumentation vividly contextualizes the nuanced hues of Nadeau​’s voice with intuitive reply while bass and drums hold down a smooth and catchy structural anchor. Single Lash​’s dense subject matter is conveyed through unabashed pop melodies and irresistible hooks that eloquently express the pain of regret with poetic and humble exposition.

Single Lash - Providence (HD048)

Single Lash - “To Laugh”

From his isolated and rural home deep in the Texas hill country, experimental multi-instrumentalist Chris Cones institutes his brooding solo project as Skullcaster. Cones’ blend of noise, ambient and experimental music show his blatant disregard for traditional song structure through the abstract and often harsh deconstruction of sound waves. Skullcaster’s refined sense of composition moves between intense walls of chaos to damaged arrangements of abstruse melody and rhythm, embracing his own uncategorizable havoc. Cones leads an autonomous existence, completely off-the-grid and immersed in solitude. 

Skullcaster - Revaluation (HD024)

Since the age of seventeen, Daniel Hipólito has been capturing, fragmenting, and reconfiguring his life experiences through tape manipulation as Smokey Emery. Equipped with a recording device, Hipólito has made a career out of documenting and transforming life’s everyday chapters into meaningful vignettes of self reflective audio-journalism. Hipólito has become a well established fixture amongst the national ambient and electro-acoustic music community, and his Soundtracks for Invisibility series is a compilation of pieces that are conceptually centered around specific subjects and/or spaces. By combining field recordings from various locations at vastly different speeds, Hipólito is able to link displaced moments into cogent soundscapes. In this way, Smokey Emery utilizes time and substance as compositional elements that play an equal, if not dominant role in the sonic architecture. Smokey Emery's oeuvre consists of hand cut reel-to-reel tape loops plucked from his own sound menagerie to be warbled, sped up, slowed down or reversed and then fused together with other processed loops.

Smokey Emery - Soundtracks for Invisibility Vol. IV: Photo of a Painting (HD051)

Grinding his way up the ranks of the American underground electronic scene, Los Angeles native José Cota introduces a fresh and heavy approach to synth-based composition known as SSLEEPERHOLD. Best known for his work as a member of darkwave trio Medio Mutante and more recently of duo BOAN, SSLEEPERHOLD is the result of a distinct effort to establish a new plateau of rage and relief. Exploring half-time swing rhythms, heavy metal breakdowns, and double-pedal kick drums, Cota’s complex bass-line sequences are punctuated by invasions of tape manipulation and the sounds of buckling steel, delivering a healthy dose of destruction within refinement.

SSLEEPERHOLD - Ruleth (HD021)

Austin based cosmic psych collective Sungod formed in 2009 as the brainchild of multi-instrumentalists Michael C. Sharp and Braden Balentine, whose friendship formed around a mutual love for such musical pioneers as Sun Ra, Tangerine Dream, John Fahey and others. Guitar, bass, drums and synthesizers established the band’s foundational elements, but as their songwriting burgeoned, they began integrating flute, acoustic guitar, drum machine, piano and even field recordings to round out their multifaceted sound. This large assemblage of instrumentation allowed for deeper arrangements and a wider scope of motif variation. Over time, Sharp and Balentine recruited musicians from Austin’s broad pool of talent to contribute to the many layers of Sungod’s dense and ever expanding landscape. Sungod’s method of experimentation is reminiscent of the early stages of Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd, reinterpreting the established to create something wholly original.

Sungod - Wave Refraction (HD039)

S U R V I V E's comprehensive sonic-arrangement is the result of the Austin-based quartet’s uncompromising standards of quality and a vast, unrivaled collection of both antique and modern synthesizers. Recording out of the band's own Omniverse Studios, meticulous sound design and precise placement ensure that every audible wave has been exhaustively scrutinized, dissected, and modulated before joining the mix. This rigorous process of discretion and commitment to aesthetic is reflected on all levels of S U R V I V E’s creative output, resulting in a masterfully accomplished discography and a towering multi-dimensional live show that has been indoctrinating a rabid following since 2009. 

S U R V I V E - HD015 (HD015)

Symbol is the solo effort of producer and multi-instrumentalist Chris King, best known as a founding member and guitarist of the Texas-based orchestral rock ensemble This Will Destroy You. Moonlighting as a composer/scorer for a host of prominent feature films and documentaries, King’s masterful ear for signal processing and affinity for corroded elegance takes free reign over a vastly expanded inventory of instrumentation. Symbol’s organic sound-sources are meticulously transmuted through chains of modules and magnetic tape, each successive stage creating a compounded quantity of detail and decay that establishes the complex relationship between King and technology while spanning across the aural uncanny valley.

Symbol - Online Architecture (HD022)

Austin quartet Thousand Foot Whale Claw is known for unapologetically diving into deep explorations of all things cosmic and boldly embracing the quintessential “other.” Known equally for their heavy riffing psych-rock, extended beat-driven electronic improvisations, and impenetrable walls of drone manipulation, TFWC has become the benchmark for instrumental psychedelia within the Austin experimental scene as they continue to evolve and further develop their sound. TFWC’s live sets are a remarkable display of balance between musicianship and experimentation, often taking long ventures into unplanned territory only possible within a unified group dynamic. Always loud and never shy, TFWC’s prolific output manages to stay cohesive and polished despite the band’s utterly massive audio waves. 

Thousand Foot Whale Claw - Black Hole Party

Thousand Foot Whale Claw - “The Garden from Above”

Since 2004, This Will Destroy You have forged some of the world’s most brutal, dynamic, and precariously visceral instrumental rock. In addition to a vigorous tour schedule, their celebrated discography and renowned soundtrack work for feature films and documentaries (including the Oscar-winning Moneyball), have earned them a sizable and fervent international following. Known for their shock waves of blistering guitar, thick bass and poly-rhythmic drums, TWDY’s massive success with their 2006 debut Young Mountain has been followed up by 3 outstanding studio albums and a triple LP live album that was warmly received by fans and critics alike. Potent and utterly powerful, TDWY’s accomplished career has undeniably perfected a graduated sense of song-writing, tonal complexity, and studio prowess.

This Will Destroy You - Another Language (HD028)

Pleasurably harsh and hideously sophisticated, darkwave metal trio Troller emerged out of Austin’s electronic and experimental scene in 2010. Known for their gorgeously morbid pop anthems that brazenly oscillate between irresistible hooks and absolute chaos, Troller’s internal duality is a recurring trope in their music. Sequence-based synthesizer and drum machine half-time rhythms impeccably complement bassist and vocalist Amber Star Goers’ heavy riffing and charismatically tortured voice, asserting a uniquely ominous take on synth-pop. Troller’s guttural guitar tones, warm arpeggios, and booming sub hits are catchy yet gritty and unlike anything else on the underground landscape today, celebrating the beauty within destruction while providing a necessary cathartic relief.  

Troller - Graphic (HD035)

Virgin Pool is the solo moniker of Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Christine Aprile, whose lifelong musical evolution as a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist has led her to a reflective and highly personal incarnation in Virgin Pool. Through the graceful arrangement of acoustic guitar, minimal electronics and layers of softly encompassing vocals, Aprile reckons with the magnificent and turbulent landscape of her own transient world. Aprile was trained from an early age in classical guitar and singing. She began writing pop songs and ballads in adolescence, but after moving to Cleveland to attend film school, Aprile found herself inspired by the outsider music of the Midwest noise scene. Aprile was compelled to write the scores and produce the sound effects for her own projects, focusing and sharpening her skills with synthesizers and sound design. After graduation, Aprile relocated to Austin and became deeply intertwined in the local music scene that produced bands like Stranger Things/S U R V I V E, Pure X, Sleep∞Over, BOAN and Troller, including fronting the synth-pop duo, Silent Diane. Aprile eventually moved to Los Angeles and reconnected with her love for playing and writing on acoustic guitar.

Virgin Pool - Endless Evenings out April 19th

Shawhin Izaddoost established himself as VVV in 2010 and has since maintained a prolific output of ominous yet catchy down tempo electronic music. VVV’s unique voice across an evolving repertoire has earned him a vast international following as well as a deep catalog of digital and physical releases. Shawhin combines his love for audio production and studio engineering with his background in piano and guitar to compose addictive arrangements teeming with understated complexity and originality.

VVV - Shadow World

VVV - “How Many Times”