The Year Zero

Oh boy am I happy that I stumbled across this new band, the Year Zero. If I was feeling really lazy right now, I'd just write them off as shoegaze. But they're much more than that. They use distorted guitar washes, like My Bloody Valentine, to create a distant and eerie atmospheric sound. But their drummer is harsher and always on the beat, making the dissonace and chaos more precise and cohesive. And I cannot say how much I love the vocals. Absolutely beautiful, they swim effortless through each song, as though they were an actual instrument, and someone had a lot of fun playing around with it behind the console. I love Strange ... perfectly balanced and excellently produced. It reminds me a bit of Broadcast, if Brian Eno was that band's producer. But Moon Viewing is also fantastic. A sputtering spacey loop accompanies those mystifying vocals, truly enchanting me. Also, The Truth About Stars -- listen to that one.
I love this band because they're so organic. Everything they do seems as though it was meant to be ... it had to be. Totally natural and effortless they seem, but on second listen, there is so much more there.
The band will release their debut album through Skipping Stones Records sometime next year. I want it. Also, check out their official website here. What a fantastic group.