A pair of tracks from Mox bookend the album, an act we’ve described previously as “follow[ing] in the lineage of Alex G, combining boundless creativity with tangible emotion.” Opener ‘Scared’ sets the tone, displaying combination of bruising heft and emotional tenderness, while closer ‘Leaving’ is more restrained and slow building, allowing the warmth of the project more room to shine.

The offerings from Christina’s Trip opt for a more shoegaze-adjacent style, though again the interplay between heaviness and light is an important element. Take ‘F.B.A.T.’ with its mix of shimmer and scuzz and no small amount of energy. Or the squally ‘Sweep Me’, which embraces the chaos of its sound to culminate in a mood almost buoyant.

The songs from Natasha Sandworms are cleaner in style yet just as infectious, be it the retro indie pop bounce of ‘Bird of My Life’ or gradual unfurling of ‘Perfect Feeling’. There’s a wistfulness to both songs, though rather than being stuck looking backwards in self-reflection, they manage to chart a course forward, however uncertain or bittersweet the awaiting future might prove to be.

Lucky Three is out now via Cherub Dream Records and available from Bandcamp.

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New single ‘Live / Laugh / Love’ captures the mission perfectly. A song about learning to hold your tongue for fear of sounding stupid, or uncool, or too cool, or anti-social. About self-doubt and the impossibility of owning a house, and the way precariousness becomes plain boring once you are too old to dream any romance around it. And most importantly, about how we are trapped within this unbearable space with no way to communicate what we feel. Because unsatisfied with our money and attention and time, capitalism has come for everything else too. The song’s title offers a textbook example of the way in which human words and feelings are commodified and in turn reduced to mush. “How come people who throw stones / Always have the coolest homes?” McTigue asks before raising a shuddering possibility: “Maybe I’m the kind of person who buys pillows that say “Live. Laugh. Love.”

Live Laugh Love
I put the pillow over my face
Live Laugh Love
And I just scream into the lace
Don’t worry I’m just having fun
Hope I’m not bugging anyone

‘Live / Laugh / Love’ is out now and available from the Pacing Bandcamp page.

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Recorded with Jesse Barrera, the track blends mainstream pop sensibilities with the chilled vibes of Toro Y Moi and Blood Orange to make something laid back and sweet, a moreish jam that will keep you warm through the darker months. Beginning with half-paced percussion and intermittent guitars before Atlas’s silky vocals enter the fray, the song bubbles beneath the surface. Never quite breaking through its casual, languid vibe, the vocals flow with a pleasing ease, tripping off the tongue in liquid cadence, though the lyrics display hints of something a little more desperate. Take a listen below:

The tour starts tonight at Vancouver’s Rio theatre, before snaking down the west coast and finally hopping east. Find all the dates below:‘Compromised’ is available now via iTunes and Spotify, and you can get tickets for the shows via the Tim Atlas website.

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