Sandra Song

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ALBUM REVIEWThe Pharmacy "Spells"

Keeping the Old Flame/Burger Records ethos of bratty, summer-loving bliss alive, The Pharmacy times the release of their brand new album to perfectly coincide with the wind down of the dog days of summer. Aptly titled Spells, it’s a hypnotic, psych-tinged journey through an untamed, kaleidoscopic...

Sandra Song

EP REVIEWHugh "I Can't Figure You Out"

Southwark’s been knocking it out of the park lately with a glut of pearly pop-loving jams and London-based quartet Hugh is continuing the trend with their debut EP I Can’t Figure You Out. Filled with enchanting, sugar-sweet tunes that drip with wistful sentiment and lush textures, the EP presents a...

Sandra Song

ALBUM REVIEWWoman's Hour "Conversations"

Caressing ears with their sensual, spine-tingling sounds, London-based quartet Woman’s Hour are touting a stirring brand of velvety art-pop on their Secretly Canadian debut Conversations. Completely lacking in the kind of pretension that typically accompanies “conceptual” works, it’s a...

Sandra Song

TRACK OF THE WEEKMuseum of Love "In Infancy"

Decade-defying, dance-inducing electronic music has always been LCD Soundsystem’s signature calling card and it’s an ethos that obviously extends to the latest collaborative project from founding member Pat Mahoney and The Juan MacLean’s Dennis McNany. Dubbed Museum of Love, the duo channels a...

Sandra Song

FLASHBACK FRIDAYGiorgio Moroder "From Here to Eternity"

In honor of legendary super-producer Giorgio Moroder’s first solo track in 22 years (thanks to the fabulous Adult Swim series, no less), we put on our finest polyester pants and creepiest pornstaches to revisit his seminal 1977 album From Here to Eternity. His third solo EP and arguably most...

Sandra Song

TRACK OF THE WEEKWhite Arrows "Leave It Alone"

Take some (Gary) glitter and mix it with a touch of West Coast spiritualism and you’ve got White Arrows’ latest track, “Leave It Alone.” You can tell the psych-pop quintet is from Los Angeles from the sheer amount of dreamy synths and blissful reverb. A chimerical gem that shimmers as a standalone...

Sandra Song

LIVE REVIEWTrans Am @ The Empty Bottle, Chicago

One of the most prolific bands in post-rock, Bethesda-based Trans Am, are still going strong with the release of their latest album, Volume X, which was the primary focus of their Sunday night show at Chicago’s The Empty Bottle. Opening for them were local favorites Kava and CAVE, who have a lot...

Sandra Song

LIVE REVIEWChad VanGaalen @ The Empty Bottle, Chicago

With his Lynchian aesthetic and fondness for romanticized macabre, Albertan singer-songwriter Chad VanGaalen performed a simultaneously tender and surreal set to a buzzy crowd at Chicago’s Empty Bottle last Thursday. On tour with fellow Canadians COUSINS and Bry Webb of Constantines fame,...

Sandra Song

LIVE REVIEWThe Haxan Cloak @ Lincoln Hall, Chicago

The Haxan Cloak (Photo by Rebecca Cleal) Filled with a gorgeous mix of brooding bass and sulky rumbles, The Haxan Cloak show at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall last Wednesday was quite the immersive tour through producer Bobby Krlic’s bone-chilling soundscapes. An otherworldly performance, the sparse crowd...

Sandra Song

LIVE REVIEWSonic Celluloid's static and shimmer on Chicago’s North Shore

Misty seas, microscopic slides and mannequin shots dominated this year’s Sonic Celluloid showcase at Northwestern University’s Evanston campus last Friday night. Well-attended by students and community members alike, Sonic Celluloid is now celebrating its twelfth year as one of the most exciting...

Sandra Song