By: Music Journalism Club

Every Tuesday, our Music Director, Allison, chooses new releases to add to our music library. Here are some recent highlights, presented to you by WSUM’s Music Journalism Club.

imy3, imy2

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “intro (den of isolation)”, “the book I never finished”, “imy1”

GENRE: Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Slowcore, Bedroom Pop

RIYL: Florist, Mitski, Grouper, Duster

San Francisco duo imy3 spares no listener the heartache they openly share on their debut LP, imy2, where each of the nine tracks exudes an uncanny, tender, and melancholic energy. Loving another person, the burden of losing someone, and the incompleteness of youth emerge as common themes throughout the album. There is a distinct charm to this record, where mellow acoustic guitar riffs and the often raw vocal delivery from both Emily and Finn keep the listener grounded through the album’s short runtime. At times, you can feel the full weight of the moment, as choruses collide with crippled percussion, melancholic acoustics, and lush synths. This is especially apparent on the closing track, “imy1,” where haunting chords and teary-eyed vocals slowly crescendo into stammering cymbals, kicks, and toms, culminating in a beautiful and crushing slowcore ensemble. imy2 is equally a record for fans of lush, tender, folk soundscapes as it is for young, hopeless romantics in need of a soundtrack to remind them of someone–or some time–long past.

— Ryan Mercer

Slime Ring, Slime Ring EP2

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Guilty Volcano”, “Shiny”, “Mood Emerald”

GENRE: Experimental Pop, Synth Pop

RIYL: The Garden, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Mike Dean

The aptly named Slime Ring EP2 is a quick and exciting project from the Atlanta based Latinx producer. Blending a wide range of genres into an experimental, pop, electronic esque soundscape, the five track run displays Slime’s endeavors into engineering and mixing his own music. Each track has its own unique instrumental, from “Shiny” to “Mood Emerald” and especially the outro of “Guilty Volcano”, the synth heavy tracks are perfectly made for the background of a late night drive – undoubtedly by design. Taking inspiration from old Playstation games like Evergrace and Ico, the ethereal EP is a terrific start to Slime Ring’s stab at independent “bedroom production”. 

— Ryan King

Domino Kirke, The Most Familiar Star

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Secret Growing”, “Oldest Missing”

GENRE: Singer Songwriter, Indie

RIYL: Weyes Blood, Angel Olson

Domino Kirke’s second album, The Most Familiar Star is an intimate listening experience. Her songs have a dreamy feel to them, like you’re drifting in space. The album has a cohesiveness to it, with all of the songs taking on a slower and softer tone. The instrumentals add to the dreamy feeling, however, Domino Kirke’s voice is the main showstopper. Her vocals are accomplished and she brings her emotions to life through them. The album has a sort of melancholy feeling to it, something to listen to on a late night when you’re pondering the various questions of life.

— Christine VanDen Heuvel

Superheaven, Superheaven

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Numb to What Is Real”, “Hothead”, “Stare at the Void”

GENRE: Post-Grunge, Alternative Rock, Shoegaze

RIYL: Title Fight, Foo Fighters, Basement, Soundgarden

Superheaven makes a welcome return with their first new record since 2015, and it feels like a natural extension of everything they’ve built so far. As the third LP in their impressively consistent discography, this Pennsylvania-born quartet leans back into what they know best–heavy, churning drums, thick electric guitar riffs, and choruses built to stick in your head. Songs like “Stare at the Void” and “Sound of Goodbyes” tap into the same moody, melodic sensibility that made their earlier albums memorable. The strong vocal hooks and carefully layered breakdowns show a band that’s stayed true to its roots, while still finding small ways to stretch their sound. While Superheaven doesn’t necessarily top the highs of Jar (2013) or Ours Is Chrome (2015), it still hits a satisfying, familiar stride. It’s a solid listen–especially those looking to mix heavier rock into their rotations, or anyone in the mood for something loud, introspective, and refreshingly direct.

— Ryan Mercer