Listen: Shlohmo “Buried”

Shlohmo will release his Dark Red LP on April 7th via True Panther Sounds/WeDidIt, so today let’s checkout the LA artist’s new single “Buried“. In describing his new album, Henry Laufer explains it’s unique blend of musical styles in this way, “It sounds like if Electric Wizard tried to make an R&B record, or Boards of Canada meets Burzum by the River Styx.” “Buried” is a great example, as it is one of those hybrid creations that defies easy categorization, making it quite the thrilling listen.
Dusted in tape hiss and instrument static, this cut’s dark, icy atmosphere initially strikes an industrial tone. But, before long a human sounding melody begins to take shape from out of the alien murk, as a rudimentary guitar line and eery sounding analogue synth find their way around each other, before bursting out into a slow motion, metal-style meltdown. Not done building, though, Laufer adds arpeggiating keys and drum and bass tracks, that by “Buried”‘s end, meld rock and hip hop with noisy, intoxicating results.
Explaining that he was emotionally all over the map while creating the tracks on Dark Red, and acknowledging that this might be evident in listening to the record, Laufer adds:

“The only thing I did know going into it, was that I wanted this one to be loud, and not just loud but really really f***ing loud. I wanted the sound of the thing to be devastating and violent. Recordings that force you to feel something even if that something isnt good…Its tragic and painful at times, but that’s all part of it and I want that to be heard and felt.”

The unifying factor, then, in Shlohmo’s collision of styles, is the music’s textured, visceral impact, and while the effects may be, at times, dizzying, the young producer has created a truly fascinating, idiosyncratic sound.
Shlohmo kicks off a US tour this coming spring, so here are those dates…
Mar 31 – Casbah – San Diego, CA
Apr 1 – Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
Apr 2 – Sister – Albuquerque, NM
Apr 3 – Parish – Austin, TX
Apr 4 – Fitz (Upstairs) – Houston, TX
Apr 5 – Trees – Dallas, TX
Apr 6 – Republic – New Orleans, LA
Apr 8 – U Street Music Hall – Washington, D.C.
Apr 9 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 11 – Irving Plaza – New York, NY
Apr 12 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
Apr 14 – Signal Kitchen – Burlington, VT
Apr 15 – SAT – Montreal, QB
Apr 16 – Hoxton – Toronto, ON
Apr 17 – Concord Music Hall – Chicago, IL
Apr 18 – Plush – St. Louis, MO
Apr 22 – Bluebird Theatre – Denver, CO
Apr 24 – Neumos – Seattle, WA
Apr 26 – Branx – Portland, OR
Apri 29 – The Arcata Theatre – Arcata, CA
Apr 30 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
May 2 – Casa De La Roza – Santa Barbara, CA
May 7 – The Fonda – Los Angeles, CA