HEAR THIS: Rotary Downs

July 30. 2014 | By Nori Bell-Bhuiyan

rotary downs album cover

Elegant and atmospheric, New Orleans neo-psych indie rock outfit, Rotary Downs, take psychedelica in the modern direction it’s been crying out for. Inspired by the new wave and faux futurism of a past era, the band taps into present day retro-mania, overlaid in their newest album by and hint of darker cynicism or gloominess.

Said newest album is called Traces and is a carefully crafted blend of sonic influence and innovation that still comes together in a concise and coherent tracklist. “Flowers in Bloom” and “Orion” draw heavily on post-punk, darker edged and ever so slightly menacing. “Country Killer” is a pulsing funk-y beat with chanted lyrics, “Sandwich Islands” is a melancholic love-song, classically accompanied by twangy drawn-out compressed guitar and gentle vocals from singer James Marler. “Tent City”s heavy droning synth brings yet another element to a musically diverse and intelligent album.

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