Santa Rosa, CA based duo Teenage Sweater have released a fresh LP entitled Concentration, available now on Tricycle Records. Concentration is a captivating collection of new-new-wave dungeon pop that combines the aural breadth of New Order, with the brooding intensity of Zola Jesus to create an album that’s as fitting on the dance floor as it is in the privacy of your bedroom while blaring through headphones.
Singer Mario Ruiz’s gently pleading chants express wary excitement–a skeptical enthusiasm for what lies ahead. In the track “Giant Summer”, where that highly anticipated season is treated as the greatest opportunity… for wasting time. Connor Alfaro’s steady, cavernous drumming shines on “Fangs”, complimenting the haunting bass line and creating an ambiance that’s entrancing in its repetition.
Ruiz and Alfaro seem most on point in “Cold Spots” and “Young Glitter”, the album’s most urgent, energetic tracks. Concentration is flush with iconic 80s synth timbres, but made to sound contemporary, more as a homage than a replication. Three instrumental interludes (all titled in parenthesis), are interspersed throughout the record, highlighting Teenage Sweater’s synth-school credentials and emphasizing the overall transient undercurrent or the album. In short, Concentration is indie dance music for hungry hearts, and a fitting title as they’ve clearly put some thought into its crafting. Stream the album in its entirety here, and don’t miss them at New Parish in Oakland on March 27th. -Andy Lambert