TUNNELS

Thrill Jockey seem to be snapping up lots of underground faves, Barn Owl, Eternal Tapestry, Wooden Shjips, Sun Araw, and now Tunnels. For several years, Tunnels has been the moniker for the solo output of Nicholas Bindeman. Over time Bindeman's sound has evolved from the slow, breathing landscapes of his earlier ambient/drone releases (Colour Seance, Vexations) to completely fried-out bedroom psych explorations (Astral Collage, In Between Dreams). The Blackout delves into a world of sound unheard of on any prior Tunnels release as Bindeman steps away from the heady guitar wizardry of Eternal Tapestry to craft a pulsing and dark record steeped in cold dread with a pop sheen. Bass lines, often the centerpiece of the song, play alongside glistening, glass slipper synths and jagged guitars, seeping like silver lined shadows into disaffected vocal incantations. Drawing on a disparate palate of sounds from various facets of electronic music, his version of a new cold wave is a sound both novel and infectious. Taking after synth pop pioneers such as Charles de Goal and Crash Course in Science, with a hint of Throbbing Gristle, The Blackout still manages to resonate with the new.