The Deli’s Philly Best Emerging Artists Poll – Top Performers: Golden Ages

If there’s anyone in Philly who’s had an overwhelmingly busy 2010, it’s Golden Ages. Since the release of debut full-length Tradition, bedroom soundscaper Francis Tseng has pulled a live band together, dropped another EP, had a surprisingly cinematic video made for “Everything Will Be Alright”, remixed everyone from Univox to Surfer Blood to Toto, and all while keeping up his cognitive science studies at Penn. All this activity isn’t going unrecognized with acknowledgements from Pitchfork, The Fader, XLR8R, and many more music media outlets. Perhaps the quick payoff shouldn’t be surprising. Golden Ages have zeroed in on a sound that simply doesn’t go unnoticed these days, and they do it well. The band conjures up layer upon layer of heady synth squall and shimmering arpeggios, with a sturdy, pulsing bass as its spine. Vocals are present, but they’re buried, simply filling in any textural gaps that aren’t dominated by the roaring walls of sound that Tseng pieces together. If this sounds like chillwave, you wouldn’t be completely wrong. But these songs don’t have quite the same level of dance-ability that even the most chill of chillwave tunes dish out, or even the half-ironic 80s stylings. This stuff is more apt for bedroom rumination and stoned daydreams. Let’s hope 2011 is even busier for Tseng and the Golden Ages crew. It’s already starting off well with a recent opening slot for the sold out Sun Airway show at The Ox and invitations to the big dance at SXSW. – Joe Poteracki