NEW ARTIST FINDS: CIGARETTES AFTER SEX

If Brooklyn based ambient drone-pop band Cigarettes After Sex aren’t the next big indie darling then I’ll eat my hat. Like my favorite hat. Like the one that has the most sweat in its fibers and you couldn’t replace if you tried. With a full length LP on the way and a recent hike of millions of listeners on YouTube I’d say the Greg Gonzales led quartet stands more than a reasonable chance of being the next Beach House or XX. Hell on my way into work today I even heard them all over public radio and we all know that public radio is ALMOST as cool as We Are: The Guard. And we’re hip as hell and have good taste and are beautiful too so obviously you’re going to listen to us and start paying attention to Cigarettes After Sex. Quick! Start listening to them now before everybody thinks they're hip and they are on the FYF 2018 festival lineup and you can already be over them by that time. Once the kids start buying t-shirts and screaming for them to play the new songs. You’ll say you liked them before they even had more than a handful of songs and some kid will throw dirt in your eye and call you Grandpa. It’s a living.

AFFECTION

“Affection” dropped in 2015 and it sounds remarkably more lo-fi than their batch of more recent tunes. But the more gravelly sound helps to highlight Greg’s surprisingly beautiful (and surprisingly male) singing voice. This song is dark haunting romanticism at its finest and it’s the perfect song to fall in or out of love to. Just remember, sitting in the dark with headphones on isn’t THE BEST for you. So after three or four listens go outside and take a walk, okay?

K.

“K.” came out four months ago and I’m really enjoying the very clear momentum this whole project has. This feels like the natural progression from then to now. The growth in songwriting and improvements in production are remarkable over such a short period of time. There is even a more recent tune, "Apocalypse," and I’m positive that these two gorgeous shoe gaze anthems are going to have proper placement on the full length album. Can’t wait to hear MORE from Cigarettes After Sex. Shit, we’re going to be so lucky to have a dozen or so of these gems to listen to.

KEEP ON LOVING YOU

When REO Speedwagon’s original came out, America was in the midst in a cocaine fueled period of excess and glitter-sheen covered art. “Keep on Loving you” is a classic and you basically can’t go wrong with a cover of such high quality jam. But here, the idea to slow it down and turn it into a dark haunting reminder of the trying times we live in is a perfect juxtaposition to the Reagan led free world the original was written in.  Wow.

About Kurt Kroeber

From deep within the murky depths of the Los Angeles River emerged a creature: 50% raver, 50% comedian, 10% Robotcop. Kurt Kroeber doesn’t own a dog, operates Soundbleed (the world’s only dance party comedy talk show rave), and is down to party with you. Come up some time and say “Hey dude!” But definitely make sure to casually drop the secret Illuminati password.