Aural Fixation: Steilacoom and their new singles release

"A picture is worth a thousand words and a song is the same coming from an aural perspective," Dave Han comments about Steilacoom, his latest and darkest collaboration with bassist Rob Hanson. As a guitarist and vocalist, Han is not new to the scene: His first more shoegaze-y infused post punk output was Astral in 2001, followed by the more trip-hop focused Foreign Cinema (with Natalia Silva) and various other local bands.   

Steilacoom's first 7-inch single, Sister/White Dog, is a flirtation of "happy/sad" Britpop/post-punk guitar with deathrock bass that spoons naturally with fuzzed-over vocals that don't shy away from a sense of longing and desire. Reminiscent of The Chameleons, A Place to Bury Strangers, Soror Dolorosa, and She Past Away, it captivates with its meshing of early '80s post-punk and a darkwave-nouveau sound. "Sister'' is a perfect example of this, engaging us right away with its come-hither bass and a sensual hypnosis in its upbeat, echoing guitar riffs. With "White Dog," I caught myself thinking, "Wow, this could have been on the Killed by Deathrock comp" as the opening of the song presents more prominent vocals, hints of flanged bass, and subtle effects surrounding the chorus (think Joy Division/Death in June). With its ability to make your body involuntarily groove in the most desirable way, I can envision this track on the dance floor at any goth night in the near future.  

Steilacoom at The Stork Club -Oakland

Steilacoom is already garnering attention — Sister/White Dog was selected by Performer magazine as "Best Vinyl of the Month" in January of this year — and they have all the components of keeping you actively listening yet on the brink of losing yourself off a cliff of emotion. Check out Steilacoom for show dates here (if you go to their show, maybe they will tell you what their band name means — is it about the town in Washington?) and listen and buy their stuff on the links at the bottom!!!!

Steilacoom at the Neck of the Woods -SF

https://www.facebook.com/Steilacoommusic

https://steilacoomsf.bandcamp.com

https://issuu.com/performermagazine/docs/january_february_2017

AWWWW YEAH!

Pale Dian returns to SF !

     Your Summer of Goth has just begun. Returning for their second-ever show in SF, Pale Dian brings you the beginnings of their west coast tour of swirling, dreamy, synth-gaze. Their first album dropped on Manifesto records titled "Narrow Birth" on 6/3 and with an eponymous tour to celebrate at that. Just a few months back, they debuted at SF's Hemlock, with their single "In a Day".  Essentially a new band at that point as they formed in October 2015, it seems they already got their shit together.  They formed in Austin, TX combining from the closures of previous projects to hone in on their sound. Front lady on the vox and synth, Ruth Ellen comments "(this project) was about finding out what we were good at. Honestly, we cut the bullshit out. We looked at what worked and at what didn't work. We decided to cut out a lot of people".

      Their first single, "In a Day" features their sound of shimmery atmospheres with cohesion and precision. Echoing accents of pained ethereal acts like early Cocteau Twins, Pale Dian brings a languid hypnosis of all their own.  Tracks like "Evan Evan"  give off starry moments in existential crisis and "Pas De Deux" catches you with more light hearted, curious and romantic beats. "Lonesome Waste" brings you back to hints of garage, with bass lead intros and lyrics of fear and vulnerability. Pale Dian performs along with the well respected female duo "Chasms" at the Elbo Room on 6/13. Do yourself a favor and go. You'll want to roll around in a field of flowers and cry and laugh and make out while your listening to them.

Here's their music!
paledian.bandcamp.com