Listen: Raindeer - "Aiko"

What a thrilling time it must be to be a fan of Baltimore experimental pop crew Raindeer. After releasing the second track "Tune Out" from their upcoming full length Tattoo, they're already offering up another one and while details about the upcoming full length have yet to be fully divulged we now know that Friends Records will be putting it out. That means this is actually happening and soon. That's cause for celebration and what better track to soundtrack your joyous rapture than "Aiko".



Built upon a doo-wop progression, "Aiko" is a lot more than you'd expect. Invoking for at least a short time the band's debut self-titled at least in terms of the nostalgia-delving sounds, it's not long before it snaps out of the simple melody before rising into a rather jubilant carnival-esque vocalise. Layers swirl in and out of focus all the time the track plods gaily forward with an unrelenting sense of merriment.

With this trifecta of album sneak peeks, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I honestly have no idea what to expect from Tattoo. Each of the tracks manage to be rather unlike the one's heard before while not feeling totally out of sync. What the rest of the album will sound like is really anyone's guess at this point as Raindeer seem content to build each song a completely different kind of stylistic experimentation. A exciting turn of events as each track manages to be a more than adequate stand alone piece, it'll be interesting to see how it all shapes up. Here's hoping news of the album's eventual release comes soon.

Listen: Raindeer - "Tune Out"

A couple months ago we got a taste of Baltimore experimental pop troupe Raindeer's upcoming album Tattoo with is title track and with the album officially done, they saw fit to release another track from it: "Tune Out". Unlike "Tattoo", "Tune Out" isn't quite a straightforward and poppy. No, "Tune Out" recalls the quirky B movie soundtrack vibes of their self-titled; synthier but as buoyant as ever. It falls into a happy medium between Raindeer's weirder moments and the rather simplistic direction of "Tattoo". It's enough to make you curious where the album will end up as a whole.

Here's hoping there's an official album release announcement coming because the two tracks we've heard from Tattoo thus far are rather choice.

Listen/Watch: Raindeer - "Tattoo"

Winter is almost over which means that bands far and wide are cranking out summery jams completely glossing over the season in between. Everyone that is except Baltimore's Raindeer. On "Tattoo", the first single from their upcoming album of the same name, Raindeer shelve a little bit of the effect-laden electronics from their self-titled debut in favor of a slightly more unaffected track. It's sunny but not too bright; a warm jaunt that seems to effortless recall those warmer spring days where you can laze around perhaps even without a jacket. It's almost clean, polished indie pop except with Charlie Hughes trademark quirky spin. There's still big sci-fi movie recalling synth parts (mostly in the intro/outro) but there's also slightly less of everything it seems.



In the video for the track, the Raindeer crew take the youthful energy of the tune and turn it into a full out party. There's balloons, confetti, streamers; the works. But rather than a rager, the party instead takes place as a hang among friends. The band are playing to no one in particular, arm in arm singing and smiling and smoking cigarettes. Everything is calm and laid back, very much like the track soundtracking it all.

Enjoy the video directed by Nick Hughes:
Raindeer - Tattoo from Wolf Stream on Vimeo.

Pitstop: Raindeer

Turns out one of the best methods to discovering great new music is just to pay attention to your favorite bands and artists. That's more or less how I found Raindeer, the brainchild of Charlie Hughes who's currently part of the Lands & Peoples lineup.

Truth be told, when I first put on the the Baltimore band's debut self-titled EP, I was a little taken aback. One of my least favorite things that's becoming more and more popular is the overwhelming use of vocal effects and so on my first listen to "From the Lagoon", I was quite ready to dislike it. What prevailed was the fact that I had met Charlie during my recent sit down with Lands & Peoples so I decided to give his EP a full spin before making any judgments. Certainly glad I did, as that first track turns out to be just a bit of warm up and the vocal effects an integral of the 80s-inspired dance-pop tunes Raindeer create.

Raindeer's debut EP is pretty darn delightful, it's got a sort of space-aged newness while clearly inspired and infused with the spirit decades long past. At times it's downright dreamy but all throughout it's ear-catching with addictive infectiousness. Raindeer are space-pop voyagers balancing swirling synthy goodness with samples, beats, and playful, even-tempered psychedelic vibes.

Raindeer are sure to set your foot a-tapping and your mind-reeling as they shatter all your expectations of what good, enjoyable music is supposed to sound like. They're fun without being a throwaway band and that's rare. Keep up the weirdness, Raindeer; I'll be watching.

You can listen to Raindeer's full 10 song EP as well as buy it for the low, low price of whatever you feel like paying at their Bandcamp.