This is some enticing stuff right here. The illustrious masterminds behind Australia’s tenzenmen distro are releasing singles from a boatload of new albums they’re dropping this fall. Among the sneak-peeks is “Encounter”, the first track off the s/t LP by tenzenmen-newcomer and Beijing native Alpine Decline. What really revs my engine is that this track borrows from so many different influences, and yet those influences never have to push each other out of the way. The track opens with some melodic guitarwork over ambient sound – post-hardcore influence here, for sure – but transitions almost seamlessly into the haunting gazey rock stabs. The guitar tone is fierce and chunky but still ‘touched’ with that spacey reverb, and so as I listen I think blues or gaze or jangle-pop but it all seems to codify in what, I would imagine, the beginning stages of a blister sound like. I could go on, but really, the only way to get these types of songs is to sit down and revel in them, preferably by yourself.

I can just feel it: this dark, complex track is the precursor to something great. Keep your eyes peeled and fixed on tenzenmen’s ticker for the LP, due out later this month.