Lower Dens
Escape from Evil
Trying to find an entry for this week was particularly hard. With nothing particularly worthy coming out since last week's double-whammy, overlooked earlier releases finally got their chance to shine; and of course, if the band is from Baltimore, they get twice the consideration.
Yes, Lower Dens is from the land of Serial and the Wire, but much like their dream-pop cousins, Beach House, their sound refuses to sink to succumb to the depression those works suggest. This seems to be the musical tone of the area--synthy 80's rhythms and gauzy vocals, inviting you to party, but maybe...party solemnly.
Escape from Evil is less experimental than Lower Dens' previous work, focusing almost entirely on pop-structured songs that slowly build into flowery explosions of keyboards and fuzz guitar. One could almost call them out for copying Beach House, but this band is a product of their musical scene and not many from Baltimore can escape the long shadow of Alex and Victoria. The sound here is much more minimal, less ethereal, like Kim Carnes singing over late-era Kraftwerk.
If you need something to hold you over until Chromatics oft-delayed new album comes out, seriously put on Escape from Evil. It's chill, it will focus you, like using ice to snap a daydream.
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