Icky Blossoms - Mask
- In Folds 3:15
- Phantasmagoria 3:39
- Living in Fiction 4:06
- Away from You 3:51
- Want You So Bad 4:42
- The Spiral 3:14
- Wait 3:05
- Silver Tongue 4:37
- Terror Nothing 4:37
- Format
- Vinyl LP
- Genre
- Rock
- Catalog No.
- LP-LBJ-217
- Tracks
- 9
- Pressing
- Download Card
Three years after their 2012 debut, Nebraskan electro-pop band Icky Blossoms return with another mood-heavy set of darkly danceable tracks. Working this time with hometown friend and past collaborator Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Man Man, First Aid Kit) as producer, the trio of Sarah Bohling, Nik Fackler, and Derek Pressnall headed into Omaha's ARC Studios to craft their sophomore effort Mask. If their self-titled debut seemed a bit tentative at times, Mask finds them owning their brooding, synthesizer-heavy sound with a newfound command. The beats hit harder, the melodies are more succinct, and much of the material feels more directed toward the pop end of the spectrum.
- In Folds
- Phantasmagoria
- Living in Fiction
- Away from You
- Want You So Bad
- The Spiral
- Wait
- Silver Tongue
- Terror Nothing
- Format
- CD
- Genre
- Rock
- Tracks
- 9
CD edition. Three years on from their Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio) produced debut, Icky Blossoms singular brand of mesmerizingly contradictory dance music has evolved. Blending avant-garde elements with catchy and danceable pop, threaded within dark, bass-heavy atmospheres, their songs nod to great music of the past, whilst firmly propelling them into the future. For the new album Icky Blossoms continue with their study of synthesizers and drum machines, finding new focus by exploring the space between their background in basement rock shows and their new-found fluency in electronic music. They spent a year crafting the next evolution of their sound, maintaining their core of throbbing electronic grooves, but working to blend it with the drums, bass, Â and screaming guitars of their chaotic live show. Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, The three members of Icky Blossoms - Sarah Bohling (vocals/synth), Nik Fackler (lead guitar/vocals) and Derek Pressnall (guitar/vocals also of Tilly and the Wall) - wrote independently and then filtered songs back and forth through each other, creating a collage of tastes, genres and energies within each track. The band experimented with making electronics sound organic and organic instruments feel electronic. Song skeletons were embellished with tuned 808's, hyper-effected mouth noises, screams as instruments, and guitars run through synthesizers. Soon the demos had mutated to a point of being studio-ready. With the talent of longtime friend and collaborator Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Julian Casablancas, Man Man, First Aid Kit) at ARC Studios in Omaha, Nebraska, these songs became fully realized. Along with Mogis, the contributions of assistant engineer Ben Brodin (Conor Oberst band), bassist Graham Ulicny (Reptar), drummer Daniel Ocanto (Big Harp) and Todd Fink (The Faint) helped the vision come into focus. Mask finds the band capitalizing on the spontaneity of their live experience and the ambitions of their writing and recording process, while not losing their sense of self. Their influences range from Fad Gadget to Beyonce and the subject matter varies from wrestling with the isolation of existence to the emotional spectrum of love. The album pulses with a vibrant sound that's electric, confident, and new.
