Courtesy Julian Brier
Audio By Carbonatix
Wild weather isn’t the only surprise April brought. When it came to new music, local groups were kicking out everything from cowpunk to traditional bluegrass and seemingly everything in between. (Bet you didn’t know you needed some “sadcore” this month.) Here’s a list of new local releases you might have missed:
Kiltro
“Guanaco”
Let’s kick things off with a truly one-of-a-kind mix of shoegaze, neo-psychedelia, ambient and South American folk. If you’re curious how all of those styles sound when blended together, then throw on Kiltro‘s latest single, “Guanaco.” The Denver band is already a local fixture known for its transformational live shows. The single is from Kiltro’s upcoming sophomore album, Underbelly (July 2), which “crystallizes dreams and experiences into a post-rock manifesto of dazzling beauty,” and showcases “the purity of stringed instruments, supple syncopated percussion and elusive melodies that define the works of Latin American legends such as Violeta Parra, Víctor Jara and Atahualpa Yupanqui,” according to a release promoting the record.
Isadora Eden
“Still”
Denver fuzz-folk musician Isadora Eden is preparing to release her debut album forget what makes it glow on July 14. And her recent single, “Still” (April 7), a followup to “Haunted” (February 24), is a perfect example of Eden’s “sadcore” style that leans heavily into melancholia and nostalgia to create an eerie, almost dreamlike atmosphere, mainly thanks to her ghostly vocals. A self-described “sad slowcore” addict, Eden lists The Cure, Tomberlin, Elliott Smith, Frightened Rabbit and Soccer Mommy as just some of her many muses. Along with her collaborator and drummer, Sumner Erhard, Eden creates a “a gentle roller coaster,” as she’s put it, at shows: “It’s not just a sad cry-fest.”
Still, “Still” might make you cry.
Dillard
Garden Mother
Denver electronic and downtempo artist Dillard released an eight-track LP, Garden Mother, on April 14 via Gravitas Recordings. At just over 36 minutes, the album showcases Dillard’s signature sound, which includes organic textures with trippy sound design, creating an immersive experience for anyone who puts it on. Each track aims takes listeners on a journey through the artist’s distinct style and underscores his ability to blend heavy bass with downtempo beats. Similar to peers like Skysia and Break Science, Dillard is only becoming more popular with local and national audiences, as he amassed over 828,700 streams on Spotify in 2022 and boasts 41,000 monthly listeners.
White Rose Motor Oil
The Gift of Poison
White Rose Motor Oil, the husband-wife duo of Eryn DeSomer and Keith Hoerig-DeSomer, put out new cowpunk record The Gift of Poison on April 14. The album accentuates the couple’s high-energy sound, led by Eryn’s vocal prowess. She also plays guitar, while Keith handles drums. The local band has been described as Loretta Lynn meets the White Stripes, or Tammy Wynette fronting the Ramones. Since forming in 2018, White Rose Motor Oil has built a loyal following behind a raucous live show that’s as loud as all get-out. New tunes like “Ain’t No Saint” and “Meet Me at the Bottom” are sure to fit nicely into the duo’s live-set.
Bleak Mystique
“Separation Anxiety”
Everything about Bleak Mystique and its new single, “Separation Anxiety,” hits you right in the feels. The song is somber yet upbeat, a mix of indie-pop melodies and grunge-rock sensibilities. After 2022’s self-titled EP, Bleak Mystique is busy releasing several singles throughout the year. “Separation Anxiety” is just under three minutes, but it displays the band’s penchant for writing catchy tunes with somber lyrics that are reminiscent of such new-wave bands as The Smiths. Singer Sam Shapiro’s soft-spoken voice is loud enough to convey Bleak Mystique’s morose message, making “Separation Anxiety” a certified earworm.
Vexing
“The Mold”
Sludge trio Vexing is evolving into a chaotic blob of grind, noise and prog that’s dead set on devouring everything in its path. Its new single, “The Mold,” from upcoming album Grand Reproach (May 26, via Ordovician Records), shows off the band’s grind side. With album artwork by Ethan Lee McCarthy, who serves as the lead vocalist and guitarist of fellow Denver noise-doom-grind trio Primitive Man, it’s no secret what Vexing is trying to convey with the new music. “We like to make really, really, really harsh noises. We like to make noises that make people feel uncomfortable but that inevitably get resolved. We strive to push things outside of our own personal comfort boundaries, both musically and performance-wise,” says singer and guitarist Garrett Jones.
The Infamous Stringdusters
A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs
How about a little bluegrass to get you ready for summer festival season? Local band The Infamous Stringdusters has just what you need: A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs, which was released April 21 via Americana Vibes. Similar to the Grammy-nominated record A Tribute to Bill Monroe, the Infamous Stringdusters are paying homage to the genre’s forefathers – singer and guitarist Lester Flatt and banjo player Earl Scruggs; the duo also played in Monroe‘s band, the Bluegrass Boys. “The concept of paying tribute to the Grandfathers or originators of bluegrass is one we bounced around for a while, and after Bill Monroe, the most logical, I think any bluegrass musician would agree, is Flatt and Scruggs,” says Stringdusters bassist Travis Book. “They’re legendary, and without Earl’s banjo, bluegrass just doesn’t exist the way we know it today.”
El Javi
“I Am”
El Javi, a Denver-based acoustic flamenco guitarist from Mexico City, releases new single “I Am” on April 21 (Wolf Howl Records). With the powerful and uplifting instrumental, El Javi hopes to encourage listeners “to free themselves from outside influences and shed all that they are not, in order to embrace their true selves.” He believes the song’s catchy melody and powerful groove are sure to resonate “with anyone who has ever struggled with self-doubt or low self-esteem.”
“I Am” is the first release from El Javi’s upcoming new album and a standout track that showcases his impressive composition and guitar-playing abilities. The song “sets the tone for the rest of the project,” he says.
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