Our pals over Antiquated Future Records have shared with us a lead single from Set Up on the Leaves, the debut full-length from Golden Tiles, the Portland-based band. I have been following the releases of this legendary cassette label for ages now, and I am always eager to listen to their new music. They even shared a short introduction to the album release, which is definitely applicable to this single.
The Portland trio lays out the full sonic range of their dreamy, uncommon take on lo-fi indie rock. Behind the record’s pop melodies, there’s a wealth of unlikely song structures, a surprising improvisational penchant, and a mantra-like lyrical insistence. Set Up on the Leaves is an album of small gifts, full of rock songs that feel quiet—songs intimate and unknowable in equal measure.
The song is working exactly as they described: a mantra that is slowly building. I always loved lo-fi sound, especially when it suited the song’s atmosphere. The combination of lo-fi guitars and simple, repeating lyrics creates a mesmerizing experience, and I get lost in the song. A relatively short track, but it has its own spark that keeps lingering in your years long after you finished listening to it.
This lead single is getting me excited for the band’s album, which will be released on May 1. I am so excited that this is also pressed to tape, as the sound will fit the medium so well, and I bet it would be an even next-level listening experience to have it on the warm, cozy sound of cassettes.
When it comes to Antiquated Future Records, you are never disappointed, and they are always sharing with us gems from their local scene and beyond.
Written by Filip Zemcik
