INTERLAY – SILO
Madison, Wisconsin-based outfit Interlay – previously known locally as Wash – formed after members Indigo Smith-Oles (guitar), Alex Kaiser (drums), and Alexandria Ortgiesen (vocals and guitar) met at a house show in early 2018. Silo is an ethereal rock song that takes cues from Sonic Youth and modern shoegaze.
The captivating intro immediately pulled me in, helped by that lovely snowy artwork. The vocals are also really well done, with an almost urgent, Daughter-like quality. The song gets heavier as it progresses, and even when the vocals become more frantic, they remain beautifully tucked into the mix. Really great stuff. I imagine this must be absolutely amazing live, too!
KID TIGRRR – CLOUD MACHINE
Kid Tigrrr is the ethereal solo project of singer-songwriter and visual artist Jenna Fournier. After parting ways with her record label in 2020, Fournier ventured into audio engineering, experimenting with home recording and production. She recorded her second album, Pantalaimon, with a stripped-back approach. The result is a beautifully intimate departure from her earlier experimental leanings, putting her voice at the center – in stark contrast to the shoegaze band Niights, of which she has been the frontwoman since 2010. Even so, the music still draws atmospheric inspiration from Slowdive, Grouper, Mazzy Star, My Bloody Valentine, and The Cure.
Fournier’s voice is really outstanding – memorable and dreamy – and it carries this song beautifully. I also really enjoy the hazy production; to me, this feels more like trip-hop than shoegaze, and it’s genuinely catchy in a really pleasant way. I also have to mention the beautiful album artwork!
CHUCK 2 – TETHERED
We’ve recommended Chuck 2 here before, and their latest single Tethered definitely deserves another mention – as does the entire album Back 2 U, which came out in mid-September. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite bands, Pedro the Lion. Chuck 2 are seriously underrated, and I really hope they get the attention they deserve, because their take on indie rock is beautifully melancholic while still carrying a strong sense of hope.
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