Blacksburg Virginia's indie-pop genius Wild Nothing, the dream-rock creation of Jack Tatum, continues the lineage of ambient rock nugget's tinged with 80's emotional pop in his follow up EP Golden Haze from late 2010, after a successful debut, Gemini, floated into the ears of shoegaze lovers world-wide last spring.
"Golden Haze" kicks off the album as if it were just continuing where Gemini left off. Bright peaks of keys are layered over delicate loops of Cure-like guitar melodies while Tatum croons "Wild heart, surrender to me. What does it take to be like you?" Good god, if only John Cusack could've blasted this from his boombox outside the window....
"Your Rabbit Feet" channels Slowdive and dare I say early Sonic Youth in probably the poppiest depressing gem of a tune I've heard in years. Tatum chants, "What do you want to know? I'll tell you anything," as guitars rise and feedback is a blurry weep of noise in the distant background echoing into keys that bring the unique pop sensibility back in a completely brilliant way.
Every track on this stellar EP melts into each other creating a soundtrack of hit after hit. Not just one or a few tracks stand-out; they all do.
Check out the fan made video for "Asleep" off the Golden Haze EP below. Wild Nothing will be performing live at the Rock & Roll Hotel on Feb. 12. -Dawn
