Sight Seeing // Y C

One of the coolest things about being a music blogger is witnessing an artist’s evolution. This instance is one of those such metamorphoses. Way back in January I blurbed about the handful of demos that I found on the Youth Castles bandcamp. After the post went up, YC mastermind Dan Abary wrote me and thanked me for the exposure and it was from that point on that we had some sort of unspoken agreement/friendship. He penned the jams, sent them my way, and I’d post them up here for all you wonderful people to hear. Bing, bang, boom.

Along the way Dan has shown us several vastly different aspects of his songwriting prowess. He gave us some stripped down and deeply personal folk as Four Visions, then the sunny beach pop of Dorean, and even he flipped Youth Castles on its head and with the beautiful dream pop track “Sight Seeing” back in April. And apparently he isn’t done yet, not by a long shot.

Shifting his focus back to Youth Castles, Dan has assembled a full-time band, lined up some East coast shows, and (taking a cue from his last and most popular track) changed the name of the project to Sight Seeing. It’s a move that shows that this young band is gearing up for big things (including an upcoming cassette on Bleach Blonde Records), so stay ahead of the curve by keeping your thumb on their page. On their bandcamp you’ll find a handful of demos (some new, some old) all ready for you to sink your teeth into.

Well, what are you waiting for?!

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BANDCAMP | SOUNDCLOUD

 

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Dorean // “Darling”

I would like someone to show me what Dan Abary (Youth Castles, Four Visions) can do wrong because so far I can’t find anything and it’s sorta pissing me off. How can one person deviate between genres so effortlessly while I haven’t a shred of musical ability? Whatever. I guess I’ll just have to swallow that bitter pill while listening to this unashamedly summery pop song.

Dan sent me this track a few days ago and mentioned that his intent was to write music with some “perfect summer vibes.” Now if I’m not wrong then I’d have to say that he succeeded brilliantly with his new project Dorean’s track “Darling”. Everything about this track is dripping with the sun-warmed, salty water of the ocean. The guitars seem to bubble up from whatever crafted them on the ocean floor and Dan is there collecting them like a beach bum would scour the sand for seashells after the ocean tide.

Grab this track fast from his bandcamp and join me in hoping that there’s more to come from Dorean before summer’s end.

Check ‘em out: BANDCAMP

 

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Youth Castles // “Sight Seeing”

Good good news. My pals in Youth Castles has a new track on their bandcamp. This one tones down the ear-burning a little bit and heads down a vaguely dreamy pop avenue. Dan Abary has a knack for penning these vaguely goth shoegaze jams that would have fit in perfectly in the 1980’s melodramatic scene.

Right now the band is preparing an upcoming 7” for Bleach Blonde Records (which is run by Ritchie San Luis of Telenovelas). After that they’ll be dropping their debut EP on the world. These dudes are one of my favorite new bands and I can’t wait to hear what they’re gonna unleash in the coming months.

And if you haven’t checked out their Demos yet, then you’re definitely missing out.

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“Sight Seeing”

 

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Youth Castles //  DEMOS

I have been craving some good shoegazey noise pop lately. You know, something to remind me why I love My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Cocteau Twins so much. Thankfully, Brooklyn band Youth Castles gave me that. They currently only have three tracks to download on their bandcamp, but they are three amazing tracks. Plus, I’d rather have three great tracks than an album full of mediocre ones. 

As far as authenticity goes, these guys are spot on. The reverb, the layered singing, the borderline monotone vocals, the haze of electric fuzz. It’s all there. There is a vibrant energy to this music, it’s electric and you can feel it in your fingertips when you listen to it. It’s the kind of delicious noise that you just want to wrap your head in and forgot all the crap that life brings.

If you couldn’t already tell I’m kinda geeking out over this band. I really hope that they record more stuff in the future, because I’ll be eagerly awaiting it. Download their DEMOS over on their bandcamp.

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can’t we just: “FEEL”

 

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