Instrumental mixing makes great listen

Exhibitionists
Superhumanoids
7-out-of-10

Brand new LA-based Superhumanoids hit the summer indie scene hard with their shimmering and bright debut Exhibitionists. Blurring the lines between dream pop, R&B, and chill wave, Exhibitionists is a slick and polished pop record.

Mixing live and electronic instruments and a male/female lead vocal, the record blends together many popular elements into an 80's inspired pop explosion. At the core of each track is a driving groove and deep R&B undertones. To this effect, though, I found that a lot of the record was redundant. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I didn't find a lyric or melody that really resonated with me.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed the record. Dream pop and chill wave are a guilty pleasure, and the songs are kept short and sweet; perfect lengths as to not completely lose your attention. It has catchy drum loops and bass lines laced with incredibly intricate melodies and decent song writing.

Exhibitionists is definitely an album for a hot, sticky summer night (which we're apparently running short of) and should be thrown in rotation for that next house party. Find out more at http://superhumanoidsil.bandcamp.com

-SEAN CRAIB-PETKAU

Tiny Strands
There's Talk
9-out-of-10

Effortlessly mixing electronica and folk music, There's Talk explore an emerging genre on their new EP Tiny Strands. Folktronica is the act of blending traditional folk sounds and songs with synths, drum machines, and experimental sounds. This evolution is increasing becoming popular and injecting a fresh feel to an old genre.

Starting off with a strong base of haunting folk melodies, There's Talk spins beautiful songs to begin with. The addition of the electronic media sets the whole record on fire, offering sonic twists and dynamic build ups not usually seen in this style. The album as a whole remains quite understated and reserved, but the flowing rhythms really grab the listener and force a steadier focus. Beautifully written and sung lyrics thread their way through the tracks and the appearance of quirky fills are pleasing to the ear.

The magic with Tiny Strands is really in its subtleties. The small builds, short bursts of tension, and unique composition make the songs very interesting to listen to and ingest. Take away the electronic frills and you're still left with a beautiful album.

Gaining high marks for originality, the introspective record Tiny Strands is a standout effort from the peaceful and quiet There's Talk.

-SEAN CRAIB-PETKAU