The LA label that puts endearing creativity and sonic beauty before tradition turns 10 this year and in tribute, it is the latest imprint to feature as part of Rough Trade’s Label Focus. Check out more on the label focus and exclusive product over at Rough Trade.
Peel debut a self-titled EP on October 16, 2020.
“...there’s a sense of disorientation and detachment, and Cimino’s vocals—which are reminiscent of Paul Banks’ in ‘Turn on the Bright Lights’—are like a guiding light.” FLOOD
“...dives into ’70s/’80s viscera, particularly the Factory Records sound and the work of producer Martin Hannett” BUZZBANDS LA
“Melding gothic post-punk with psychedelic synth-pop, “Rom-Com” casts a long, dark shadow—their retro synthesizers and gloomy textures give it a compressed, chilling feel—but its energetic grooves bring the song to life." PASTE
“Dreamy… otherworldly charms” CLASH
Alex Maas of The Black Angels announces his mesmerizing and soul-bearing solo debut, Luca. Named for Maas’ firstborn, whose name means “bringer of light,” Luca was a long time coming, with some of its songs dating back almost a decade, put together piece-by-piece over the course of a couple years. A powerful work of gentle psychedelia, and a notable sonic departure from the heavy, pulse-raising sound that Maas has become renowned for, Luca was co-produced by Maas and Jack White’s front of house, Brett Orrison. The album showcases “a whole different part of my brain,” according to Maas. “I wanted to go someplace musically that I’ve never gone before.” What resulted is a hypnotic detour along the wild trails of Maas’ homestead of Texas, driven by nature and colored by a swirl of meditative thoughts about its creator's son, the often-scary world he was born into, and how to navigate the perils of modern society. Listen to the first single off the record, "Been Struggling" and read more over at Brooklyn Vegan & Clash.
Clash's Track of The Day post for the latest by Rarelyalways claims that the "Hackney polygot is impossible to pin down....The swaggering electronics that run through 'Another' point towards the influence of hip-hop, while the sub-zero electronics come straight out of the grime sketch book." Upcoming EP Baby Buffalo will release on October 30, 2020.
Peel’s innovative and emotional debut masters the integration of melodic synths and psych as it shape-shifts from one song to the next. Just ahead of the EP’s release, due October 16th on Innovative Leisure, Peel reveal their ethereal single “Citizen X” which also is set to appear on FIFA’s 2021 Soundtrack.
Peel’s Isom Innis explains, “Citizen X was an outlier to our usual stream of conscious lyric writing process— the framework began more conceptually. It has a tongue in cheek tone and is coming from a disillusioned place. Originally, it was a slower shoe-gaze inspired track, but Sean had the idea to re-imagine it, speed it up and really emphasize the groove and treat the guitar more like Robin Guthrie [Cocteau Twins].”
And as Clash writes: "Subtle but striking, 'Citizen X' is testament to the pair's absorbing creativity."