Byre Here in Dead Lights Byre (2018) Review by Ben Goldstein 

Byre, an indie collaboration between veterans in their respective genres, features Aaron Tanner (Off-Ox), Zach Zint (Thunder Dreamer), Ryan Grisham (Mock Orange), the prolific Rob Crow (Pinback), and Spencer Seim (Hella) — who actually plays drums on Byre’s debut EP, “Here in Dead Lights,” and in doing so demonstrates that his musical genius isn’t limited to guitar.

This review is long overdue considering “Here in Dead Lights” dropped in 2018, but having recently stumbled upon the band, I thought I’d share my thoughts. The instrumentation on this EP is mesmerizing. Crow’s vocals cascade over the sonic textures offered on Object Permanence, while synthesized melodies sweep beneath the instrumentals on Gallagher III in the most beautiful way. With a Hammer starts off simple and unfolds into an enigmatic, immersive soundscape that’s easy to get lost in. “Here in Dead Lights” reminds me of the more ambient indie aspects of the music of Atlas Sound and Deerhunter; however, it’s far from being derivative. In fact, Byre’s approach to producing this EP has resulted in quite a unique sounding set of songs. “Here in Dead Lights” originally came out on Joyful Noise, which has proven to be a reliable label having released quality indie music over the years. I think this EP is worth checking out solely for that reason, but if you happen to be unfamiliar with Joyful Noise and don’t have much to go off, trust me when I tell you “Here in Dead Lights” is an enjoyable listen.

Favorite Track: Melindiana

Black Marble It’s Immaterial (2016) Review by: Jonathan Roensch 

I chose to review It’s Immaterial by Black Marble because it’s something I’m listening to during this quarantine. I’ve really enjoyed rediscovering Black Marble, I had known a few songs from this album but I hadn’t heard the album in entirety. The album is a fantastic, dream pop, nostalgic, time capsule with 80s synthwave undertones. It has eleven tracks that encapsulate a range of emotions and sounds that I’ve really come to adore. The album begins with a bizarre introduction song filled with different noises and sounds. After that, a fast tempo fades into a more mellow, relaxed track. Each song paints a picture in its own way and strikes a different emotion in every chord change. The songs have an overall mellow, nostalgic tone with glimpses of joy hidden in the keys. It’s Immaterial is a melodic echo chamber of an album, each track within the album holds soft reverberations that really fill the ear. This album reminds me of early John Maus, New Order, The Radio Dept. & Part Time. 

I recommend tracks: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11