Los Angeles trio the Delta Mirror say they’re of a mind with bands like the Big Pink and Fuck Buttons, acts bent simultaneously toward shoegaze and electronics. But the DM is less expansive and less noisy, respectively, than those acts: Their debut LP Machines That Listen is downcast and down-tempo, heartfelt and brooding, immersive and swirling. It’s also gorgeous and incredibly repeatable. The beats are savvy. They glitch and break unpredictably, tricks the trio’s Craig Gordon and David Bolt no doubt picked up while working in their hip-hop project prior to this one. Lyrically, each song takes place in a different room of a hospital; it’s an emotional and conceptual palette that mirrors the Antlers’ Hospice. There are three voices at play, including bassist Karrie K’s, but it’s a gothy baritone that pushes most of the songs, registering like Interpol’s Paul Banks discovering IDM and M83. You should hear the whole record, but start with the gem “He Was Worse Than The Needle He Gave You.” You can grab it below, along with the premiere of its beat-flipped, upticked remix which, true to the band’s hip-hop roots, is filed by anticon dude Alias. And cap it all with a listen of “A Room For Waiting,” patiently post-rock in its piano-tinkling, exquisitely textured, a good example of the Delta Mirror’s ability to blend beats to phrases that become scenery-setting mantras: “You tell me to be patient because I’m not the only one but tell me how many were before me / how many were before me tell me how many were before me…” Great stuff:
The Delta Mirror – “A Room For Waiting”
Two takes on “He Was Worse…” The remix:
The original:
The Delta Mirror’s Machines Will Listen is out 3/26 via Lefse.
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how ’bout a column called “band to listen to?” it feels like this site tells you who to “watch” so they can jam their flag in a poor band just in case they get popular. why can’t stereogum just say “we like this music?” kind of tired of bands “blowing up.” not saying anything bad about this band or any band in particular, just the approach feels off. that’s all.
Admittedly I put no thought into the name of this column when it started in 2004. It is too late to change it!
thanks for this post. i enjoyed that track and plan on checking out this band’s album!
I would also like to register an unnecessarily cranky tirade regarding the verbiage chosen by this blog. Just what is your game, Stereogum? You’re just trying to get into cool parties, aren’t you? Well me and that other guy are onto you! As soon as I finish one last glass of my own urine, me and my buddy are coming down there to give you what for!
blahblah I would also like to register an unnecessarily cranky tirade regarding the verbiage chosen by this blog. Just what is your game, Stereogum? You’re just trying to get into cool parties, aren’t you? Well me and that other guy are onto you! As soon as I finish one last glass of my own urine, me and my buddy are coming down there to give you what for!
blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahvomitvomitblahblahblahblahblah
“of the mind of hte big pink and fuck buttons”
Thanks for getting that out of the way up front. so I didn’t have to read the rest.
I sort of see what you guys are saying up there, although it’s more than likely nothing more than a catchy sounding title for a blog, but can we talk about how good this band is instead?
Just found this site through word of mouth, how cool is this?
(How long before we start complaining about it though?)
;)
this reminds me of pitchfork…i think i’ll get used to it though, you can see a lot more on the new site
Well, that number was sleep inducing…did nothing for me, but hey, I’m just one guy!
Since we’re already raging on Stereogum for unnecessary verbage – anyone notice that the last line of this article says “Machines Will Listen is out 3/26,” when the album is actually called “Machines That Listen?”
Well, I did. And I’m bloody outraged.
Hey haters
I have a lot of respect for Stereogum because they keep it real.
If you don’t like it, don’t read it.
xoxo
Dirtbag Journalism