2024 has been a chaotic year already, and we are barely finished with the first quarter of it. Hell, before we even get to April, the odds of biblical brimstone raining from the sky aren’t necessarily zero. It could happen.
Some days the only steady sources of dopamine we can easily find are on our Xbox or on Instagram… specifically pictures of farm animals like cows and goats – they’re math rock as hell. But otherwise, uncanniness and self-loathing can easily take over as we strain our minds trying to understand things like the genocides in the Congo and Palestine, the shooting at Crocus City Hall, the surveillance state, and today, the Frances Scott Key bridge getting decimated by a tanker.
All unrelated, but all a lot to swallow for people with anxiety, which definitely includes us.
Don’t worry, we’re seeing multiple therapists. It’s expensive. Anyway, if it makes you feel better to do good things but don’t necessarily know how, which also includes us, you can always donate to programs like Doctors Without Borders – in fact, donations to DWB are going to be matched up to the 30th of March 2024. You can do that here. Otherwise, we’ve got a hell of a lot of good music to keep your ears covered with what ever else you’re going through.
Godspeed, y’all.
Standards – Fruit Galaxy
Marcos Mena’s fruit flavored brilliance is here to brighten your day once again, and on Fruit Galaxy, he truly reaches for the stratosphere. It’s a fantastic follow up to Fruit Town, which was already crazy good – in fact, this is probably standards’ most varied, intricate record yet.
SSIGHBORGGG – Sugarlion
One of math rock’s biggest memers released their debut this month, and it’s an aural haze of bubbling, grooving vibes. It’s still math rock of course, or at least math rock friendly but perhaps from a different dimension – if you’re able to set the calculator down, we definitely recommend hopping on this train.
LITE – Strata
On their seventh album, Japan’s beloved LITE once again celebrate the macrocosmic with overwhelming waves of creativity, from math rock, hip-hop, electronica, and beyond. Way, way, way beyond.
Tummy Boy – Two Week Vacation
This charming little record from Tummy Boy straddles the line between math rock, shoegaze, and sometimes even… IDM? Yeah, actually. It’s hard to describe, but it feels very warm and home-y, as well as kind of futuristic. However you’d describe it, it’s worth checking out.
Professor Caffeine and The Insecurities – S/T
We weren’t sure what to expect from this bombastic full length, but Boston’s nervous-nellys have delivered a strikingly majestic post-hardcore thriller that occasionally calls to mind the genius of bands like BTBAM and Coheed and Cambria.
Big Chomp – Emisis Nemisis
We were coolly grooving to this EP before we got to their description of themselves on Bandcamp, which is Loony Tunes Shellac. This is hilarious in itself, but it’s not far off with their angular yet pleasing sonic joyrides. Comparisons be damned, you’re bound to enjoy it.
Protagonist Bias – Optimism
Don’t let Illinois’ Protagonist Bias fool you, this EP is oodles of fun, but optimistic may be a stretch. However, we wouldn’t change a thing about the way the band blends passionate post-hardcore, screamo, and math rock.
My Innocent Devil – could mum love you if she knew what you were really like?
My Innocent Devil treats genres like playgrounds in this dreamy, dreary confessional. Midwest emo, ambient backdrops, electro, and math rock are just a few of the flavors you’ll find here.
Wideframe – sham/shame
This chaotic jazz ensemble from Saint Petersburg treats listeners like a fly on the wall at a party, with the EP serving as an almost voyeuristic experience where we don’t quite know what’s going on, but know that it’s exciting.
Tartaro – Ritmo, Ritmo!
Where do we even start with this hellacious smorgasbord of grinding bass, orangutan drums, and evil synths? If time is not linear, and there was a chance that a math rock record could garner endorsement from Lemmy himself, this spicy Italian riff-fest would be a strong contender.
Nurture Nurture – Emergence
The ever inward gaze of Nurture Nurture is back just in time to help us cope with the wrath of early-Spring’s seasonal affective disorder. Luckily for us, it can sound as pretty as it looks outside, as we stay inside with the Emergence EP.
Paling Light – Touch Football Next to the Azaleas
Carrboro, North Carolina just might become the unofficial touch football capital of the U.S. if Paling Light keeps it up. This joyous, experimental, and chaotic trek feels familiar enough to be accessible, but stays just weird enough to be awe-inspiring.
Spirit Furnace – The Coming Color
Shoegaze meets math rock and pensive indie on this little blaze of light out of Philadelphia’s Spirit Furnace. At times, it’s actually somewhat heavy, but not in the traditional way – for all its tension, it’s also ethereal, playful, and intoxicating.
Michael Ellis – Modern Heresy
Here’s a low-tuned doozy for the ones with a metal background out of Copenhagen. But maybe that’s a little extreme – Michael Ellis isn’t nearly as heavy as you might expect, or at least, not the whole time. In fact, there’s a lot of straight up joy to be found in this shred-meets-math rock journey. Now excuse us while we thrift for some kind of leather jacket so we feel badass enough to listen.
Whensurrealisreal – III
A beautifully violent and melodic take on classic math rock out of Hong Kong, the talented trio’s third record is a cinematic reckoning that’s as glorious as it is ambitious.
Knifeworld – The Unraveling
The legendary Kavus Torabi finally unleashed their solo album this year, and it’s quite the journey – think RX Bandits meets Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum, or even Cardiacs, with whom Torabi actually played with for some time.
Malwina Zero – Caminen Bien
Extremely eclectic and fresh math rock out of Santo Domingo, a corner of the globe we rarely hear from – which judging by this EP, is a mistake we need to rectify immediately. Seriously though, there is a lot of texture here to wade through, but you’ll be thanking us for the rec before the end is through.
Vennart – Forgiveness and The Grain
This mystical, cinematic spread of chunky prog splits the difference between creepy, atmospheric arena-friendly songwriting and visceral, modern instrumentation. If you like high-brow yet abrasive bands like Katatonia and Deftones, this would be one for you.
Biscuit Kiss – Foliage
We’re not gonna lie, that’s the most math rock band name we’ve heard in a long time. This Sheffield, UK trio oozes out classy jazz guitar lines and appropriately nimble backdrops that conjure both the old and the new with clever stops and starts.
Just Let Me Go – I.L.Y.S.M.
Throw things back to the gut wrenching emo of the early 2000’s with Just Let Me Go, who also just put out a split with Aren’t We Amphibians. They’re a prolific bunch, but they’ve so far managed to pack tons of quality into the quantity.
Bugbody – Unbelievably
The title of this Ypsilanti quartet’s record makes sense within three seconds of its start time via high-brow bleeps bloops and cathartic rock adventure. In fact, this EP actually gave us OG Adebisi Shank vibes. Believe it.
Memory Cell – Holding On To It
Memory Cell brings a calming yet high-strung and tightly woven tapestry of nervous post-rock. Holding On To It is full of twists and turns that keep listeners bobbing their heads, but also light on their feet.
Splendor Riot – S/T
These Texan’s debut EP is a powerhouse of instrumental odyssey, using shades of Swancore and metal to create some uniquely thrilling moments.
Edhochuli – Higherlander
Undoubtedly one of the first quarter’s most comprehensively fantastic efforts, Edhochuli’s epic Higherlander hits like a mighty water pipe. Hold it in and feel the heavy prog envelop you like the first time you listened to Crack the Skye.
Local Nothing – S/T
This strangely entrancing and allegedly cursed lofi emo album sort of just invites you in haphazardly, but you can’t help but fall under its noisy, occasionally broken sounds for the duration of the EP.
Flutter – Uno
You know, we generally didn’t want to put singles in this particular dump, just out of concerns for time and effort, but hot damn, those are some spicy natural harmonics.
Wombat Supernova – Apewoman VS Turbo
More sheer joy out of France, this duo makes you feel like you’re in some kind of Playstation fantasy with reckless abandon and an infectious sense of humor. Honestly, it’s the kind of music that makes you laugh if you’re a music nerd, not just because of it’s constant nods to classical compositions, but the way they take those tropes so much further than we’re used to hearing. This is a match you don’t want to miss.
Slalom – S/T
This French duo scrambles math, punk, and emo in this delightfully upbeat EP. It’s fun instrumentally with chill loops atop mile-a-minute drums, but it’s a breath of fresh air with a lot of interesting vocal layers as well. Don’t think about it too much – just listen.
Attention Currency – we were going to complain and then we didn’t (and guitars)
This fascinating classical guitar meets math rock and voice memos concoction has a lot of personality, to the point of overcoming any easy comparisons. That being said, we are not complaining either, and we highly recommend this Rhode Island wizard’s album if you’re looking for something radical and familiar all at once.
The McKinley High Mathletes – Winter Break
Sweet, sweet acoustic emo from Seattle – it’s a phrase you’ve heard describing no doubt hundreds of artists, but these mathletes have a unique way with melody and atmosphere you can easily fall in love with. We lived next to a McKinley High in Oregon, once. We got robbed there, but… worth it? Just check it out.
Hush Woods – Understories
There’s a vibrant core of jazz and indie to this Kingston, New York outfit that calls us back to the early 2000’s, if not decades earlier with its vaguely soul and Motown influences. If you’re looking for a chill yet extravagant sesh, this EP would be a perfect compliment.
Who Threw That – Crickets
Australia’s up and coming Who Threw That have dropped one chirp-y EP, and we don’t mean that in the way of squelching guitars or synthesizers – literally every song here is called “chirp.” Confusion aside, these songs rock, and are certainly worth getting named eventually.
Hevva – Rabu Biru
Stylish, atmospheric math rock from Indonesia? You better believe it – this EP shows off a bevy of grooves and intricate pieces that show off their influences but also what makes Indonesian music so uniquely appealing, especially from an outsiders perspective. More please!
Amoeba Arena – Absolutely!
This Boise based math rock and emo project puts out a burst of whimsical, emotional joy with the Absolutely! EP, which we barely missed at the end of the year last year. Better late than never, we say!
Well, there you have it – 2024 isn’t all bad. Thank you all for thinking of us and sending us messages when you’re putting out your records. It always means the world to us, but these days, more than ever. It’s an honor to be able to help share your music. Just remember, no matter who hears it, even if it’s no one, if you love it, it’s great in the real-est, most raw-est sense of the word. You don’t need approval for that greatness, either, which is part of what makes music so powerful. You’re already magic – but we’re all too happy to remind you. We’ve got more coming for you soon – in the meantime, at the risk of sounding like part of a church service, here’s to the liberty and safety of all those oppressed in Palestine, the Congo, Tibet, and everywhere else. To say we’re imperfect allies is an understatement, but every day we have the opportunity to learn how to take action in manageable steps, and then hopefully, execute those steps. “Walk the walk,” as they say. Anyway. Until next time.