Cause & Effect : Pinkshinyultrablast

Cause: American Shoegazers Astrobrite started in the mid '90s as a one man bedroom project by Scott Cortez of loveliescrushing that has long since morphed into to an occasionally still active band.

Their third full length release is entitled Pinkshinyultrablast.

Effect: Meet Pinkshinyultrablast, a St. Petersburg, Russian shoegaze group so inspired by Astrobrite that they named themselves after the third record in their discography. Pinkshinyultrablast have a brand new album out (their second) entitled Grandfeathered on Club AC30.

2016 Favorite : Fir Cone Children

Dreams do come true! Heavy, distorted, GORGEOUS indie-pop from Berlin so down and dirty it could strike oil. You know all those bands who clearly worship My Bloody Valentine but then try to make a pathetic soulless copy of the band? Well, Fir Cone Children finally got this inspiration right. There is a shade buzzsaw guitar groups like Jesus and Mary Chain and the likes here but Fir Cone Children put a unique spin on it all. I could see outsider Metal fans (think Aquarius Record shop pick of the week) finding something to love among all the shimmering and buzzing. But I could also see Slumberland Records fans who believe there will never be anything better than the early years that included Lilys and Velocity Girl worshiping this too.