Listen: Juniper Douglas - "fibastimpastastan"

Minneapolis indie band/collective Juniper Douglas have a new song in the world today, and it is good. It is considerably less off-the-walls than previous single "Promiseland Bakery," and all the better for it. The song's groove is straightforward and minimal, anchoring the exploratory vocals. Listening to "fibastimpastastan" is like staring at a layered cliff face - as your eyes gradually scan down its side, each new moment reveals a new layer and color. Arpeggiated synths sneak in and grow to almost overcome the ecstatic melody. However, in an almost counterintuitive way, they sink back beneath the waves of drums, bass, and keys. The lyrical and frantic vocals are almost always unintelligible, with the exception of few howled phrases ("it's just a numbers game," "I like to play it safe"). I cannot emphasize how insane the singing is on this track. There's no rhyme or reason to the vaguely syllabic notes, but they craft a universe of their own. The vocals and the instruments are on two different planes of existence, yet they meld into a bent, twisted, and satisfying song. Once the acoustic guitar enters in the last third of the song, and the instrumental finally overtakes the vocals, it becomes a beautiful chaos, reminiscent of Kid A-era Radiohead. That may be because I was listening to Kid A this morning, but that's beside the point. The song ends with a strumming guitar surrounded by a hurricane of synths. 

Normally, this is the part of the article where I would talk about how I can't wait to hear more from Juniper Douglas. However, the band beat me to the punch by announcing their new album, Error to Introspection, out on September 21 via Subaquatic Records. The album will also include "Promiseland Bakery." Listen to "fibastimpatastan" and pre-order the album below.

Juniper Douglas is a busy band, so we have even more to mention. The full line-up for the Grocery Store festival discussed in yesterday's Local Music Round-Up has been announced. Check out to the festival's details below, and get your tickets here.