Are you bored with hearing the same old melodies and harmonies in your pop music? Feeling de ja vu as you mindlessly ooze down your algorithmically-generated playlist? Well I have the solution – this new track (and the upcoming album) from Erica Eso, the synth pop project of NY musician Weston Minissali, flanked by other notable figures in the local atmosphere in Angelica Bess (of Body Language + blog favs Kalbells), Rhonda Lowry, Nathaniel Morgan and Lydia Velichkovski. I know certain pop heads out there will know when I say it, but when I give comparisons to say, Kurt Feldman, I mean it. Good shit going on here.
The first single shared from their upcoming record, 192 (out April 29 via Hausu Mountain), is at surface value structured (and sounds) like many other 80s-inspired, driving bassline dream pop tracks. Shiny guitars and plushy bass set the stage, but Minissali and co. make quick work to dismantle expectations by flipping into some wildly inventive melodic passages, punctuated by an angular, stopping-and-starting instrumental; a stark contrast from the gossamer ways the track started off. There are plenty of little details throughout the mix, showing that there’s serious structural depth to the track alongside its very apparent catchiness.
I’m very excited for the rest of the world to hear more of these tracks, there are some really awesome surprises and continued inventive melodic choices. I’ll put it this way – I’m at the unfortunate place where a decent amount of records just pass right through me. 192 did not bore me whatsoever.
Erica Eso’s 192 is out April 29 via Hausu Mountain. Check out “Home Is A Glow” + pre-order HERE.