Netherfriends

The artful psych-pop produced by Chicago's Netherfriends is a swirling stew of cheap synthesizer sheen, kitchenware percussion and atmospheric vocal chants — which creates a feeling of constant motion that makes for great ear candy (especially through headphones). The moody soundscapes incorporated on the unreleased track "Worean Kar" call to mind some sort of fictional foreign land where mysterious characters lurk in the shadows. Blissful layers of reverb-laden keyboards and gently floating background vocals provide an eerily disconnected, dreamlike ending to the song. But energetic drumming, dense sonic layers and catchy vocal melodies make this experimental trio sound like a much larger ensemble when it plays live. -RFT St. Louis