For the first rapid fire review segment of 2025 I wanted to take a look at some hyperpop records that have been garnering a lot of attention, or that we've been covering over on Ringtone Magazine. saoirse dream - saoirse dream Let's start with the easy one. I like this Saoirse Dream record quite a bit and you should listen to it. She combines the digital sounds of contemporary hyperpop with flavors of 90s rock like grunge and shoegaze into a genre she calls Wizard Sleaze. I know all of that because I interviewed Catherine, the girl behind Saoirse Dream about the album for Ringtone Magazine and caught a ripping live show from her the week the album dropped. For that reason I'm not going into detail to try and pick the record apart track by track, instead I'll just give it a certified Lavender seal of approval and encourage you to try the record out yourself. 7.5/10 Club Shy Room 2 EP - Shygirl Despite never being a massive fan of Shygirl's first few albums, I went ...
Duster are a California band who experimented in slowcore and space rock during a run of material in the late 90's. In particular their 1998 album Stratosphere made them an indie darling in critical circles with a cult following. After years of inactivity in the 2000's and 2010's they reformed and released a self-titled 3rd album in 2019. Together is their 4th album and was released as a surprise with no singles or promotion. Review By Lav: While I am no doubt a critic, and there is plenty of reason to lump praise onto Duster's Stratosphere , what makes it so truly transcendent is a much more personal and emotional affair. The bands lucid, nostalgic and spacey style of largely instrumental rock is truly unique and seemingly universal in the way it evokes sad distance and isolation. While I enjoy the bands entire discography that moment in particular has always felt like an era defining masterpiece. For that reason I'll always be in tune with Duster whenever they r...
I was on vacation last week so this is actyually the best new tracks of the past TWO weeks. *kisses* 5. Neon Signs - The Weather Station I loved The Weather Stations last album in 2022, even though many fans seemed to overlook it in the wake of its more instrumentally verbose predecessor. That's why I was nervous that when the project left its gentle acoustic meditation behind I may not enjoy it as much. Thankfully with one single under her belt for the 2025 follow-up, The Weather Station seems fully committed to taking the songwriting I loved about her last record and expanding it with a more versatile sound palette and I like it so far. Listen 4. Funny Man - Chat Pile While I wasn't crazy the previous lighter Chat Pile single, this one sees the band digging directly back down into the depths of their harrowing metal instincts. That includes everything from grinding circular guitar riffs to booming drums to an excellent vocal performance that's captivating...