By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Tuesday, February 13, 2018

For fans of: The Smiths, Mac Demarco, Cocteau Twins

Sonic Blume is a four-piece, indie rock outfit based out of Monmouth County. Founded in 2015, their debut, self-titled EP was released November 4th, 2017. The EP was released on Moto Records, a record label based out of Asbury Park. While it has only been a few short months since their release, Sonic Blume already boasts thousands of plays on their Spotify and recently opened up for Work In Progress, Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things's band.

The group consists of Max Connery, Daniel Murray, Andrew Phelan and Chase Landgrebe, and their influences range from The Smiths to Mac Demarco. In a time where the dreamy sounds of the 80’s are becoming more and more popular, Sonic Blume fits right in. The group has a sound reminiscent of 80’s UK dream pop; think Slowdive and Cocteau Twins. While their sound has hints of nostalgia, the group maintains a mature, modern sound. While the guitar lines sound like something Johnny Marr would play, the vocals remind the listener of everyone’s favorite Canadian, Mac Demarco.

This brilliant blend of 80’s and modern music shines particularly well on their track “First Nite.” The song is upbeat yet dreamy, with most instruments on the track drenched in reverb (a sound I am particularly fond of). This track really allows Landgrebe to show off his tasteful, Marr-driven guitar work. “First Nite” is a perfect encapsulation of what so many loved about the early 80’s dream pop bands. I find it extremely impressive that this young group has such a handle on a particularly eclectic genre.

Clocking in around 22 minutes, this release is a time machine straight back to 1980’s UK. Sonic Blume manages to pull off a difficult sound without coming off cliche or pretentious. I am really looking forward to seeing this group grow. Listen to their great debut here.