GOLD CAGE
LA-based post-punk-tinged slow-core trio announce debut album Social Crutch via Felte
Mesmeric first single ‘Repeater Kember’ shared with video
LA-trio Gold Cage today have announced the release of their debut album Social Crutch, out March 27th via Felte. The post-punk-tinged slow-core band has also shared first single ‘Repeater Kember’, with stunning visuals. Pre-order Social Crutch here: https://ffm.to/goldcage
Vocalist/bassist Mony Katz explains how the song came about: “We wrote this song while babysitting—perhaps our third or fourth song. In the beginning, we had somewhat of a Can approach to writing. Cole and I both sang on this one as we both feel the need to back up each other’s vocals to resemble the sound we want. The sounds were so indescribable, and pleasing to hear—all it needed was arrangement. We never did get around to it because it happened so naturally. I like to describe it as a song that sounds as if it is disintegrating as you listen.”
Austin based Director Shannon Wiedemeyer explains the video: “A lot of the work that I make comes from a deep interest in representing the female experience within genre film. I wanted to tell a story of an isolated character whose sanity is questioned due to her innate fears of being a woman and alone. I didn’t want to answer any questions because, in the end, I didn’t want it to be obvious whether she did or did not have a stalker. I feel like that specific aspect of the video isn’t really important. I wanted everything to be from her perspective and keep the fear of the unknown at the forefront of the viewer’s minds.”
Social Crutch is the debut full-length album of Los Angeles-based post-punk-tinged slow-core trio Gold Cage. Comprised of singer/bassist Mony Katz, singer/guitarist Cole Devine, and drummer Sage Ross, the band combines dreamy guitar loops, delicate, dueling vocals, and slow, driving tempos to create spacious arrangements that shimmer with atmosphere.
Warmed with tape saturation, Social Crutch is an exercise in measured minimalism, with every tone carefully sculpted to fill the vast space of each track. Shoegaze, reverb-drenched guitars evoke Galaxie 500, Yo La Tengo, Deerhunter and even Rowland S. Howard. Yet Social Crutch remains very much in the present, thanks in part to the band’s ability to marry a range of influences into thoughtfully structured songs. Throughout the album, Katz’s and Devine’s equally laconic, whispery vocals elevate each song as they drift in and out of each other, sometimes softly colliding in gorgeous harmony.
Album opener “Repeater Kember” captures the band’s ethos with a decaying guitar loop that sustains and repeats for nearly all of the song, save for a heavy climax. The crest fades shortly after it begins, highlighting the band’s penchant for subtlety and restraint, even during the album’s crescendos. While Social Crutch is full of satisfying slow burns, upbeat moments such as “Halcion” and “Shadows” showcase Ross’ drumming, which provides a sturdy backbone with enough allowance for the catchy guitar ‘hooks and vocal melodies’ magnetism to shine.
Tracklist
Repeater Kember
Halcion
Introduce My Mind
What Is Left
Shadows
Ripples
Spaghettify
Harshmellow
Creepfest
No Comments