BOSTON/NE BANDS, Fresh Stream

CULT FLUORESCENT – RARE ELVIS DEMOS

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Though Cult Fluorescent’s latest album title and matching colorful collaged cover have silly implications, these songs have a surprisingly serious, glossy tone. Shoegaze master Bradley DeMatteo creates dark and resonant sounds with twirling guitar parts, echoing vocals, and heavy bass lines. On songs like “Honey Dripping” the band follows a satisfying, simple pop song outline, but with eerie vocal loops in the background, the song takes on a dreamier atmosphere. This dreamscape is something that the album builds in all the songs, which experiments with interesting instrumentation throughout. Though the music boasts minimalism, the placement of the instrumental elements is deliberate, and that is what makes the music dynamic and atmospheric. The guitar is summery and clean, yet circles around in plucking, hypnotizing ways. The drums in the background follow simple beats, sometimes verging on the simple beats of a vintage drum machine. DeMatteo’s smooth voice plays a lot of roles on the album, sometimes coming through with honey-sweet simplicity, other times filtered through layers of reverberating effects. The lyrics match the swirling deep tone of the music, and are reflective and introspective counterparts.  In just five songs, Cult Fluorescent create a distinct colorful world of dreamy pop sound.

 

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