After years of writing and performing, Ava Luna has refined their doo-wop soul meets punk-as-fuck aesthetic into something bold and glaringly defiant in today's indie music landscape. Following the release of their critically lauded first proper full-length Ice Level, the band spent an intense 2-week period writing and recording in upstate New York. Unlike previous efforts that were meticulously mapped out, the songs that would become Electric Balloon were "…a family effort." according to frontman Carlos Hernandez. For the new album, former Columbia composition student Hernandez relinquished the reins a bit, opting for a more organic approach to writing the material for what would become Electric Balloon. As Hernandez explains, it was a "…birth of confidence. I grew closer to my bandmates, began to see the roles of a family playing out. Ethan cooks dinner for all of us, we make lewd jokes, and then 'after-dinner storytelling' takes the form of playing music." 

In the wake of Ice Level, Ava Luna's sharp edges have melted away just enough, making it easier to connect with their no-wave grooves and soaring harmonies. Distilling everything from James Chance and ESG to contemporaries like Dirty Projectors and Of Montreal, Ava Luna have landed on an aggressively unique sound that still manages to be accessible. Hernandez goes on to explain "…the stories and moments here are clearer, as in a conversation. The moment appears, you grab it with your hands, screw the lid on the mason jar. There was no tweaking, no second-guessing. Julian's mantra for the process: 'First thought best thought.'….And for my part, I sing my best about encounters, friendships, some moments beautiful and others painful. A bike shop manager in New Orleans, a derelict porch on Brighton Beach, a yellow sweater in a kitchen in the Catskills, a water duct in the New Mexico desert…"

You can buy the LP here: http://westernvinyl.com/shop/

Ava Luna - PRPL

Ava Luna - Where the Pine Trees Grow

Pram are an experimental band who formed in the Balsall Heath/Moseley area of Birmingham, England in 1990.
Originally from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Rosie Cuckston and Matt Eaton went to school together. They moved to Birmingham in the late 80s, schoolfriend Andy Weir keeping in touch after a move to London to study art. Cuckston met Sam Owen by chance at a local supermarket's Singles Night. The four began performing under the name "Hole" in 1988 performing only with vocals and a homemade theremin. The band eventually became "Pram"; Matt Eaton playing multiple instruments, Andy Weir on the drums, and Sam switching to bass. Max Simpson joined later on keyboard and sampler.
Pram's first album Gash was self-released and sold by mail order and at gigs. Along with their name and incorporating toy instruments, the band had a child-like theme. Also, Cuckston's eerie vocals and lyrics dealt with depression, loneliness and the dark side of childhood. The band's early recordings had a krautrock-influenced blend of rhythmic guitar, keyboards and percussion.

Pram - things left on the pavement

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Pram - things left on the pavement

Sergio Pier Pasolini

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