It’s really not hard to understand why a
disproportionate percentage of the hipster backlash sometimes falls on the
dream pop genre. Genres like punk and hardcore are a sonic assault on the
senses; they don’t ask for permission, they just wash straight over and through
you (so that even a bad punk show can still leave you drenched in sweat). But
dreamy pop music is different. It doesn’t force, instead, its power lies in its
ability to guide the listener. Unfortunately, when it’s done poorly, songs that
are meant to guide succeed in dragging—ultimately making ethereal vibes sound
cold and their musicians seem despondent. The current popularity of such acts
means that there is more junk out there than ever before, and it’s hard not to
just write it all off.
Enter Portland’s Pure Bathing Culture,
composed of Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman (they are joined live by
bassist Zach Tillman). Since coming across their s/t EP last year on Father
Daughter Records I’ve come to believe that this band is what Beach House
should sound like. In fact, they do share a number of similarities, including
slow, rich female vocals and reverb-laden guitar rifts, but PBC songs are
somehow warmer (potentially due to the time that Sarah and Daniel have spent in
various folk bands, such as Vetiver). In addition, I’ve seen them twice
and I’m always on the lookout for them to return to Seattle because they’re
even better live than on the record. Sarah’s presence is intense but engaging
and is well complemented by Daniel’s carefree nature and seemingly effortless
guitar style. I really can’t wait until they put out a full length. Until then,
here is a live version of an as yet unreleased track called “Pendulum Song”.
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