washed out - feel it all around
M/A/R/R/S - anitina
washed out is the latest in a string of lo-fi indie acts, like neon indian and memory cassette, matching outer-space shoegaze vocals and shimmering melodies to loping machine beats. But what to call it? There's no shortage of possibilities, including chill wave, gaze wave, and Pitchforkwavegaze, but we're gonna call it 'bedroom bliss,' because it sounds like being half-passed out on your bedroom floor, drooling on your four-track.
Now that one of the forefathers of this sound is arguably, wait for it, 80s dance act M/A/R/R/S, best, or perhaps only, known for their landmark tune "Pump Up the Volume," considered the first UK number one hit to be sample-based. The group was in fact a collaborative effort between two acts, the rock-based A.R. Kane and the electronic-leaning Colourbox. "Pump Up the Volume" was essentially a Colourbox track with added guitar from Kane. The mega-hit's b-side, "Anitina" displays inverse proportions, being by and large a MBV shoegazy tune with added techno drums. It's a solid garage-y JAMC meets 80s house tune and definitely worth a "wtf, this is M/A/R/R/S?" mental hot-foot.
