There is an intriguing blend of pitch bended guitar textures and (almost) jazz-inflected vocals running through the Bushwick based band Surfing. Moving the dreamgaze genre in a similar direction as fellow Brooklynites Sua (and Night Manager before them), the band’s marriage of a more sophisticated vocal style with multiple layers of driving, hook-heavy guitars is surely a welcome trend. Their lone track (so far) “Hollow Sparrow” throttles along like “Mustang Ford” era Swervedriver, this comparison made all the more accurate by fluid, looser, fill-loaded drumming. Jordan Stern’s voice is strong with a tonal quality and phrasing reminiscent of Caroline Crawley in 1992’s Shelleyan Orphan. The band – which went on a short hiatus earlier this year, to reappear just in time for CMJ in October – is currently working on new material. – Dave Cromwell
We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best psych/shoegaze songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!