It’s difficult to contemplate music absent of pop structure or influences in the age of genre-revivalism and commercialized indie. Difficult, but not impossible. Just ask Media Jeweler.
Formed in 2013 from three members of the now-defunct Moon Pearl, an “8+ piece tidal wave of uncomfortable party music” based in Irvine, the avant garde Media Jeweler has ties to Irvine’s DIY arm Acrobatics Everyday, and two of the members simultaneously create musical/sexual tension as part of Santa Ana post-hardcore band Windy. Self-described as free rock, i.e. "not grunge, not punk, not alt, not anything," Media Jeweler have confused listeners (in a good way) playing convention-defying music across California venues with freaky local acts like So Many Wizards, Roman Candles, and most recently Girlpool. In time these musical entrepreneurs hope to establish a travel agency, produce a cooking show, and create a Media Jeweler smartphone app with the end-goal of making millions by playing popular rock music. Fingers crossed.
Media Jeweler’s debut album $99 R/T Hawaii will "come out" sometime this summer. Expect to see their 7” debut single “Looking Back” in June, a song about “the feeling of thinking about the stuff you did before the moment that you are in at that moment. It has no words but that is the sort of feeling you are supposed to feel when you listen to the song.”
They’ll be playing a string of shows in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles this week to support touring band Ava Luna and Young Lovers. Watch their album teaser below. – Ryan Mo