Optdemics
The Atom Complex (Braxeling)
From Braxeling Records, Portland’s finest purveyors of psychedelia, garage rock, and power pop, comes a sharply recorded collection of jangly, heartfelt tunes from a new trio made up of members of the High Violets, The Honus Huffhines, and the Mean Reds. As with all of those groups, the members of Optdemics lean into their vintage influences, while augmenting the jangly and at times spiky sound and literate lyrics with a welcome sprinkling of strings and brass.
Julius Smack
Starlight (Constellation Tatsu)
As the pundits and critics continue to debate the use of AI in art, L.A. future pop artist Julius Smack (né Peter Hernandez) gets ahead of the conversation. He dreamed up a fictional digital assistant—the titular Starlight—and constructed an album that purports to be the product of a prompt: “Make an album that tells the story about the origins of Julius Smack.” From that leaping-off point, Hernandez made a dataset (including demo material, anime favorites, and bad deepfake videos) that informed every glossy, arch and hypnotic moment of this daring album.
Stereolab
Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Warp)
The first new full-length from this British art-pop ensemble in 15 years doesn’t stray too far from the motorik lounge sound that brought them worldwide acclaim. What has changed is the world around them, which has led frontwoman Laetitia Sadier to write some of her most pointed lyrics to date. She’s been watching the rise of fascist rhetoric and regressive policies throughout Europe and the U.S. and calls it out on this LP in her own inimitable fashion. “Is there some form of justice?” she wonders on the shimmying “Melodie Is a Wound.” I wish I knew.