Glass Mansions: “Nearsighted”

Space Trayn: “Red Lipstick”

When a budding band is high off their own early momentum…at least not in an overt back-patting way or one in which they take themselves way too seriously…the grinning can get contagious. Take for example Austin three-piece Space Trayn [https://www.instagram.com/spacetrayn], whose nuanced brand of ’70s-inspired funk-jazz-rock stations itself somewhere between Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan. Chiefly conducted by singer-guitarist Jerome Vivino, with Justin Murawski and Nané veteran Jordan Espinoza coupling behind, Space Trayn’s debut 2021 EP Not So Fast rode the rails of classic soul and soft yacht rock with four cars of genre bending tones. On Space Trayn’s sophomore follow-up We Have Lyftoff (produced and mixed by Austin treasure Chris “Frenchie” Smith), the trio beams full steam ahead at an even higher octane; these five jet-fueled originals cross tracks of ’90s-alternative, psychedelia-drenched jams, turn of the millennium indie rock and even some Parliament-adjacent prog-disco, complete with some mind blowing solos just before the record grinds to a halt. We Have Lyftoff dropped at the tail end of April, but if you’re looking for a good time this evening, even after blasting the new Space Trayn at volume 11, you’re in luck. Space Trayn takes the stage at 10PM tonight at The 13th Floor, preceded by Elijah Delgado and followed by Upper Level Lows at 11PM [https://do512.com/events/2023/5/19/space-trayn-w-polarizado-upper-level-lows-elijah-delgado-tickets] and Polarizado [https://kutx.org/song-of-the-day/polarizado-twin-liquor-on-sunday/] at midnight. So in the spirit of these fun-lovin’ buds, come as you are and settle in for a great time. But if you wanna be extra, let Space Trayn doll you up before you drop out with the classic psych rock crimson of “Red Lipstick”.

Glass Mansions: “Nearsighted”

As temps heat up across Texas, a sun-soaked lethargy is sure to overshadow any idealized productivity. And it seems like a lot of acts have recently been seizing the day by releasing their roadmaps for the rest of the year. So let’s go ahead and add a danceable data point to our early album detection system. It’s an open house from Austin alt-pop duo Glass Mansions [https://glassmansions.com/], whose banging electronic beats and ardent vocals (courtesy of frontwoman Jayna Doyle) provide a clean contrast to the pair’s smoky, high octane live performances. The pair’s transparent passion balances out beautifully with their opaque take on opulent electro-pop, and visually, their synesthetic aesthetic is a glistening finish. But back to planning things out in advance…we’ve gotta give credit to Glass Mansions for their forethought in releasing a transitory piece that bridges the gap between last year’s “Standing O” and their upcoming 2023 EP. A gorgeous cacophony of color haunted by Doyle’s tortured, ghostly apparition, the music video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESOuE4RDOL8] for “Nearsighted” is definitely the best way to absorb Glass Mansions’ latest gift. Strictly on the sonic front, the industrially processed sub bass, reverb-drowned snaps, and sinister synth arpeggiator provide the perfect bed for Doyle to belt the hell out vocally.

Flora & Fawna: “Costume Party”

Now that COVID-19’s no longer deemed a public health emergency, the fog of the past three years has begun to dissipate, and memories of the “before times” don’t seem so distant now. Like, remember when KUTX named Austin duo Flora & Fawna [https://florafawnamusic.com/] as our September 2019 Artist of the Month [https://kutx.org/artist-of-the-month/flora-fawna/]? We made a real airwave darling out of the pair’s debut single “Slow Burn” throughout the fall, but by the time Flora & Fawna was gearing up for their first official SXSW appearance, well, a little global pandemic stole their thunder. In the spirit of their handle, Flora & Fawna kept their creative ecosystem thriving by focusing efforts on a sophomore follow-up to their eponymous debut EP. That essence of growth despite a harsh environment couldn’t have been fostered as well as it has without the help of multi-instrumentalist-producer Misha Hercules, who’s worked with everyone from Kendrick Lamar and Jungle to Maggie Rogers and Steve Lacy. An ongoing work in progress under the veil of quarantine, Flora & Fawna balanced out their studio time with some impressive appearances – hitting some hometown milestones with both ACL and SXSW last year, not to mention supporting slots alongside Son Little, Thievery Corporation’s David Garza, and even Harry Styles. Well, finally, after all on-stage and in-studio flourishing, Flora & Fawna’s next EP is set to see the light of day in 2023. In light of its Halloween-evoking title, the record’s third lead single “Costume Party” just touched down with care-free summer-luvin’ goodness. It encapsulates taboos you only witness at such masquerades, like the one-of-a-kind kismet of catching Dracula swapping spit with Wonder Woman or a Squid Game security guard starting a drunken spat with Ted Lasso. Specifically, “Costume Party” relives a forbidden kiss with a past fling, and in doing so channels the flirty dirtiness of Charli XCX or Carly Rae Jepsen. So whether you use it to make amends with your own missteps, or just want something you can both blast with the top down and dance ’til your pores are drenched, “Costume Party” is ready for your RSVP.

Among Lynx: “Lola Luna”

With a keen ear and an ability to recognize and synthesize defining patterns, musicians can realistically recreate any style with a bit of fine-tuning, even if they’re across the globe from their sonic scene of choice. But to escalate regional emulation into innovation without tipping listeners off to your nationality? That takes a special breed. So naturally, as a global hub for chart-topping pop, Sweden harbors plenty of creators that are well-versed in appetizing multicultural recipes. And while the boldest outputs (at least here in the states) can be traced to Max Martin, ABBA, Ace of Base, Yung Lean, Pete Björn and John, or the late great Avicii, we can’t overlook an extra tempting contemporary piece of Scandinavian taciturnity. Harnessing a handle that perfectly channels their mysterious, secret-keeping character, Among Lynx [https://amonglynx.com/] and their style of North American roots rock sound like the perfect surrogate score for True Detective. The core duo of vocalist-guitarist-percussionist Eva-Mi Ringqvist and singer-harmonicist Elin Öberg first broke out in 2015 with Among Lynx’s eponymous debut EP and completed their evolution into a fully matured quintet with 2017’s Revolution and 2019’s Movement. In a moment of kismet, last week I caught Ringvist and Öberg performing at Hole in the Wall ripping stripped-down renditions from the near-dozen set of dreary, desert-friendly originals off Among Lynx’s third full-length Once In A Blue Moon, which came out late February. Hole in the Wall proved to be an ideal environment for Among Lynx’s dusty, low-light drip; they were like a pair of semi-tamed hellcats effortlessly displaying their discipline for us Lone Star-fiending losers. All self deprecation aside, each phase of Blue Moon performed on the front stage really pounced on the Hole and Among Lynx’s proven cinematic potential. So if you’d like to turn your favorite dive bar into an awesomely melancholic acid Western, or just love Among Lynx’s mythically masterful take on America’s rustic roots, perhaps us Austinites can howl loud enough for the whole five-piece to return sometime after their ongoing tour back in Scandinavia. In the mean time, toss the telescope out and strap on the headphones for one of Blue Moon‘s brilliantly bleakest illuminations, “Lola Luna”.

Mass Minor: “Worthy”

Even though its initial ubiquity arrived in the late ’70s/early ’80s, synth-driven compositions, regardless of which decade they came from, continue to sound intrinsically futuristic. I mean down to the digital DNA underneath the instrument’s nuts and bolts, the synthesizer has always embodied a sci-fi aesthetic. Of course, nearly a half century down the line, even with astounding breakthroughs in MIDI technology, there’s a certain retro quality to pushing the synth front and center of arrangements, regardless of genre. As such, Austin’s synth scene is like a perpetual time machine, one that sends listeners back to the ’80s glory days of synth pop before hurdling them into the distant unknown. Within that crowd, we’re proud to have Mass Minor [https://www.massminor.com/] call our town home. Beginning with their 2020 debut LP Become Each Other, this trio’s top-graded a sense of timelessness through synth-pop, synth-wave, and electronic rock. They spent much of last year captivating crowds, including appearances at SXSW and supporting slots alongside our July 2022 Artist of the Month Urban Heat [https://kutx.org/artist-of-the-month/urban-heat/] and Depeche Mode tribute project Strangelove. But in 2023, considering their rise amongst “uncertain times”, Mass Minor is set to beckon in the post-public health emergency era of COVID with a new piece of temporal exploration. For their upcoming sophomore full-length Mass Minor teamed up with Robert Plant/David Bowie producer Tim Palmer, with a release date set for later this year. Today Mass Minor emerges from their neon-bathed portal with the record’s lead single and their first studio since the turn of the decade. Kicking off with a Tron-ready arpeggiator, “Worthy” wheelies right past the competition with turbulent subdivisions, heroic vocals, and a whirlwind of a hook, which at just over three minutes, makes it an ideal choice for your next montage sequence, be it working out, working through personal stuff, or straight up saving the world. Is it f-ing not enough? Hell no. It’s beyond “Worthy”.