Ablebody Goes For Adds

Ablebody, comprised of identical twins Christoph and Anton Hochheim (The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Depreciation Guild), draws from the raw richness of the 60s; the melodicism of soft 70s pop; and the sophisticated side of romantic 80s synth pop to create a sound suspended between decades. The LA-based duo has been active since 2013, and for debut LP Adult Contemporaries they took their sound from the bedroom to the studio, working with producer Kenny Gilmore (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti) to craft songs with a more visceral edge than they’ve explored in the past. Daniel Rosenbaum (Pomar) and Jordan Sabolick (Mt. Ossa) have also joined the duo to help bring the songs to life and add new dimensions to Ablebody’s live dynamic.

Christoph’s emotive, wispy baritone holds together an album of sonic twists and turns that opens with the agile, bouncy “Backseat Heart” and concludes with the pensive, immersive, and atmospheric “Wayside Glow.” Though generally low-key, the LP has moments of contained-yet-explosive grandeur, such as the metallic guitar solo that rises out of the arpeggios on spry single “Gaucho.” Another single, “Send Me A Letter,” makes use of guest crooner Sean Nicholas Savage, whose backing vocalizations are blended with synths to create otherworldly results. Yet the songwriting remains tastefully direct, with arrangements that bend and move in surprising ways while blanketing the overarching sentimentality of the songs.

“Nodding to the 70s is one thing, but they also merge showy guitar solos that would traditionally belong in the 80s, and mournful vocals Morrissey mastered way back. Somehow, this timeless cocktail doesn’t come off as needlessly nostalgic.” -DIY Magazine

RIYL: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Wild Nothing, Ducktails, Fear of Men, Beach Fossils, Ariel Pink, Eternal Summers, Smith Westerns, Seapony, Prefab Sprout, Dum Dum Girls

Recommended Tracks: Track 1, “Backseat Heart,” Track 3, “Gaucho,” Track 10, “Send Me A Letter,” Track 2, “After Hours,” Track 5, “The Sun, A Small Star,” Track 6, “Heart Keep”

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Label: Lolipop

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