motel void

Three new tracks we’ve fallen in love with lately. As usual, we’ll be jumping across continents…

TORIYAMA – LIKE A DREAM

Like a Dream is the first single under the new project toriyama, formerly known as Television Blonde. A hazy slowcore confession about finding comfort in someone when you’re too weak to face the night alone.

Television Blonde were among my favorites in this genre, and toriyama feels like a worthy successor. The slightly warped, detuned vocals echo the early work of Alex G (as well as the mid-song instrumental passage), wrapped in warm production that makes for an inviting, memorable four minutes. What really sets it apart from more standard slowcore fare is the subtle, tasteful use of autotune – it adds texture without overwhelming. So nice!

WEIRS – EVERLASTING

Weirs is an experimental collective rooted in the music scene of central North Carolina, and we’ve already highlighted their previous track I Want to Die Easy – one of the best things I’ve heard in recent weeks. Everlasting takes a different approach, not least because it’s entirely instrumental.

Every time I listen to their music, I’m transported somewhere else, into landscapes that feel perfectly in tune with the single’s artwork. This November I’ll be heading to a remote cabin with no electricity, spending a week with just a fire, the sound of birds and insects, and the night sky above me. I imagine myself trying to guess the constellations – maybe even imagining a time before they had names at all. And I’ll have Weirs in my headphones – or at least replaying in my head, shaping the silence around me.

BLANCO TRANCO – PINHEAD LARRY

We’ve recommended Blanco Tranco from Australia a few times before, and of these three, their music is the most energetic – and the most accessible. What hooks me is the mix of pop sensibility with a scrappy, DIY edge, along with a streak of melancholy that somehow still brims with vitality.

Pinhead Larry comes from their new album The Imagined Life. In the middle of the track, there’s even a near-rap section that’s instantly catchy. It’s a perfect example of Blanco Tranco’s ability to merge raw energy with emotional weight. Highly recommended!