The awkwardly-titled Cave Vaults on the Moon in New Mexico is the new record from Tan Cologne. The group apparently spent time coming up with that album title for a record where, oddly, the music succeeds without the words being very important at all. The release, out on Friday via Labrador, oozes atmosphere if nothing else.
The title cut is all proto-shoegaze, while "Strange God" reminds me a tiny bit of songs from Jarboe-fronted Swans spin-off World of Skin. "Empty Vessels" is even better, a drone that feels like Sonic Youth circa-"Beauty Lies in the Eye" mixed with the faintest hint of Slowdive. If Lauren Green and Marissa Macias don't seem too interested in the usual gestures of the shoegaze genre, that's good, because this is something else entirely. "Alien" and "Quartz of Rose" nod in the direction of stuff like Opal, Mazzy Star, and the like, while the more rhythmic "Cerro" gently unfurls on top of a Nuggets-era kind of hook.
There's something backwards-looking about lots of what Tan Cologne are making, but they're at least looking back towards the right points of inspiration. Fans of Broadcast and The Dream Syndicate will find moments to enjoy here, even as lots of this hits at one particular kind of trippy groove only to get lost in it. Tan Cologne are not crafting something entirely fresh here, but the record still succeeds if you're into the kinds of things I've referenced, for instance.
Cave Vaults on the Moon in New Mexico is out on Friday via Labrador.
More details on Tan Cologne via the band's website.
[Photo: Tan Cologne / Labrador]