Photo Credit: Courtney Chavanell
I apologize in advance to anyone who is just learning about autonomous sensory meridian response from this piece. Once you start looking up examples of it on YouTube, you’ll never escape the black hole. The sensation is inexplicably pleasurable, described on Wikipedia as being “low-grade euphoria,” brought on by soft stimuli, such as whispers or ambient noises. Texas-based Dallas Acid have included all the triggers to make your skin tingle on their new record Spa Hunter, through their distinct take on psychedelic ambient. Listen to the LP in full exclusively on Grimy Goods below, ahead of its release on Flying Moonlight tomorrow.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“The third LP by Dallas Acid invites the listener aboard an ultraviolet Dreamliner of modular sequences, sprawling Moog synthesizers, quaking gongs and celestial vox. Spa Hunter recalls moments of American minimalism, early German electronic music and Stockhausen inspired pop. An electrifying yet tranquil cruise through the fantasies of the mind.” – Dallas Acid[/perfectpullquote]
As well as an exploration of ambience and early techno, Spa Hunter is a political response to the rise of fascist ideologies of Drumpf and his supporters. The synths on Spa Hunter weave together a rich and delicate soundscape, inspired by the paradoxical idea that materialism and privilege will lead to nirvana–just check out their album teaser, featuring the single, “Beamers & Bloody Marys.” Gloom edges its way into tracks like “Highway 111” and “29 Palms,” though the latter finds itself in purgatory, drifting between starry progressions and deep space melodies. Any lyrics you may hear are not so much sung as they are chanted in barely audible whispers; don’t be alarmed when you find yourself singing along to the bops and beeps of the Moogs instead.
Spa Hunter is only six tracks long, but the length shouldn’t fool you. This record will not only capture your attention, it will soothe you, and help you forget the authoritarian regime we are currently living under. We’re still a long way from the end of this term, but if the elections this week proved anything, it’s that we’ve still got a lot of fight left in us.
Spa Hunter will be available via Flying Moonlight tomorrow; pre-order it today. Catch Dallas Acid performing live at Zebulon on 11/16 for free; more info. For more on the band, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
by: Zoë Elaine
https://soundcloud.com/flyingmoonlight/sets/spa-hunter-1/s-hCciW
