Genius

Genius #32 - Aug '26

Music recs: Caretaker, Big|Brave, Lande Hekt, Pieri, Quiet Light. Feedback techniques for computer music. Show calendar for Baltimore, DC, NYC.

Larry Michaels

01 Sep 2026 • 13 min read

Spotted in Baltimore, MD

THIS FRIDAY 9/4 IS BANDCAMP FRIDAY! It is a great time to support your favorite artists as Bandcamp is waiving their 10% fee for one day. Please consider purchasing an album this Friday.

Is It Bandcamp Friday?

Hello Geniuses,

For this month's GDC, I went back through some album releases from earlier this year that I missed or didn't write about at the time. I have six albums for your consideration, mostly from earlier on in 2026! Most excitingly, these are almost EXCLUSIVELY pop (or at least pop-adjacent) records, including 2 Spanish language albums. What a treat for my readers who are sick of "ambient" and "punk." They're always telling me: "long live the song and the melody. I yearn to hum along to a nice sound."

Anyways, there are some really great releases coming in September that I think you will enjoy as well. I also wrote about how much I hate buying shoes.

Lastly, I am playing 2 shows this month: 9/15 with Cath Sav in DC and 9/26 with Chanp in Baltimore. Details at the bottom! Let's boogie

Commodity Fetishism (footwear)
Album Recs
Garbage Corner (feedback in sound design)
Upcoming Shows

Commodity Fetishism

I wore through the soles of my shoes years ago, but I've just been wearing them anyway because I hate buying new shoes. I always agonize over the ethics of the shoe companies vs what is actually available for me (I wear a big old size 14, but most of the smaller, more conscious shoe companies stop at 13).

I really do not want to advertise on behalf of shoe manufacturers on this blog, so I'm not going to talk about the new shoes I bought. Always with the hand wringing, this guy! In my search for how to select new kicks, I found a useful blog and wanted to pass it along, in case you, too, are a bad mix of neurotic and sciatic.

While researching shoes (read: searching "decent running shoes not made by slaves site:reddit.com") I became aware of the work of RunRepeat, a blog where reviewers cut shoes in half before doing a whole bunch of vaguely scientific testing. Not really a review site, more like a technical overview of what kinds of foam are inside of a shoe, checking durability and sizing, and how the construction might benefit the wearer's use patterns.

Using this site, I was able to very easily select a new pair of running shoes (I've been wearing the same runners since 2012, they are disintegrating) and sneakers. While writing this, I decided to check.. and now I know that my new shoes were, in fact, made by slaves (see: 1 and 2) and it is fucking me up. I knew this was a mistake. I'm not buying shoes again for as long as possible.

Album Recommendations

Caretaker - Sits A Flower (Coin Dolphin, Mar '26)

twee tape-experiment punk

I love a weirdo band with its own musical language and this Baltimore quintet has carved out a very fun little niche. Lots of contradictions in here: twee but not soft; haphazard song structures with well-written melodies; lost-in-a-cavern singing and full scream-barking; sounds both like analog tape experiments but also smacks of Garageband bedroom style writing. Overall, what it sounds like to me is delicious, low fidelity high tempo no wave with experiments into freak folk, noise rock, post-rock, doom metal. Complete with skittery drums; melodic mid-heavy bass lines; bendy guitars with all of the notes scooped out from the mix; woozy synths; wordy vocals from multiple vocalists. Scratches the same itch for me as sonic explorers Thinking Fellers Union 247 and electroshock freaks Brainiac – there's a good amount of Deerhoof in there, especially the imagery from the band. There's almost no info about this group, so all we have to go off of is the album art & bandcamp details. If you're into screaming music & don't mind hippy freak folk vibes OR if you're into power-pop tape experiments and don't mind a little hardcore blended in, this could be for you. It's certainly for me! I heard half of the first song and immediately purchased from Bandcamp so I could listen on the go.

Lande Hekt - Lucky Now (Tapete, Jan '26)

dreamy jangle pop

It's the end of summer – isn't it time to get wistful? Don't these arpeggiated guitars shimmer and filter like a sunbeam through the trees? Doesn't time feel like it's speeding along to the rhythm of a bouncy bass line? Have you been humming little sing-song songs to yourself in a lilt, but occasionally letting your voice soar into heartfelt yearning? It's almost time to tap the maple trees, let's wring out the last of the old batch – sugary and sweet, with a little depth to keep things interesting. In these eleven short songs, Hekt ties specific images into bigger feelings that can't be so easily expressed. Tracing crop circles in a dream, getting a lump in your throat even though you thought you were too old to feel like that, watching rabbits hop around and wondering how time works. A lot of the tracks circle around the idea of home – are you there now? is someone away from your home who you miss? is it hard to go back home? The title track has an absolutely perfect chorus melody where she yearns "for all the times you were on the road, you have let me down / if you want to come home, you'd be lucky now."

Pieri - Suelta EP (self-released, Jul '26)

bratty latin hip-hop + hyperpop

[not on bandcamp, listen on your streamer of choice]

Ugh I love Pieri, I've been a fan since her 2022 EP Agrolove and was glad to see another release with some of the singles she's been posting to YouTube. Pieri is a Mexico-born rapper based out of Philly – she mixes hard-hitting boastful rapping with autotuned tear-soaked jams. Very much a "vibe." All of her boasts and plaints are put up against these growling, alien reggaeton beats that suit her personal style of 2000s retro-futurist, while the lower tempo songs have cascading synths that pile on the pathos. The bravado songs are what initially hooked me to her work & this album has some jams: her growling flow on "Automatik" over gabber kicks, her strange boasts in "Respeto" where she says she stole the listener away from their boyfriend using witchcraft without trying... because she doesn't really know what she's doing. But the slower jam sad songs are the ones that stick with me, "X K No Respondes" has a wonderful atmosphere surrounding it, with multiple lead vocals at different murkiness levels. Closer "Un Ratito Mas" rattles around my head often with Pieri asking for a little more time against a perfect house beat. None of these tracks cross the 2:45 threshold, you can listen to the whole thing in 13min and you might also pides un ratito mas.

Big|Brave - In Grief or in Hope (The Flenser, Jun '26)

distortion texture study

Somewhere between ambient, alt-folk, metal, and harsh noise, Montreal's Big|Brave have lost a drummer but have forged ahead without replacing him, choosing to write a record where drums are not needed. The trio has written a sprawling 8-track LP that uses amplifier textures as the basis for each track (the listed album personnel entry includes "amplifiers" as one of the instruments for all 3 players). The snarling of guitars finding notes and then giving way to new notes is stunning but what draws me into Big|Brave is Robin Wattie's incredible voice – beautiful and damaged, she sings, howls, whispers, and coos. Recording engineer Seth Manchester perfectly carves just enough space between the peals of feedback and cavernous reverb to make out the quality of her voice and to glean some truly-depressed downer lyrics. Looking ahead to autumn, I will probably throw this one on a few more times and think through the lyrics like "an abject unearthing / a history reshaped / god only blames me / only blames me / only blames me" and I will probably be fine afterwards. Best listened to quite loud, there's so much bubbling under the surface to hold onto, the higher the volume the more tone there is.

Quiet Light - Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2 (True Panther, Apr '26)

soft & ethereal bedroom pop

This mixtape opens like a song that's already in progress – the listener is thrown into a vat of enormous reverb, wordless angelic choir, and a hip-hoppy drum loop. Then at 20secs there's a sudden pause. The song continues with new autotune flavors & the shape of the room feels different, the reverb has a quicker tail and different EQ. Every 20 seconds hence, the song changes in a new unnatural way. What a way to welcome you in to solo artist Riya Mahesh's vision of bedroom pop! Mahesh longs and aches very directly through autotuned harmonies over understated instrumentation. When she isn't writing pleading songs directed a ghostly "you" (you, who doesn't dream about her while you sleep / you, who fucks around and still gets everything you want / you, who should call her or maybe already did call her from a train), she is apparently finishing her medical residency (???) which is wild to consider. For me, the best moments are when she suddenly breaks free from the bedroom sound & lets loose – either by writing a weird little instrumental song ("Angelic Photo") or with a real diva hook like "Berlin." Sad girl music for the start of the school year.

Helado Tropical (Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical) - Helado Tropical (Jul '26)

soupy latin indie pop

Both songwriters bring all of their synths & drum machines and washy acoustic guitars to compliment their breathy voices. Reyna Tropical's light voice against Helado Negro's richer upper register creates a wonderful sensation when they sing together, nearly ASMR. Songs of longing, of making space in time for something small to bloom – and some honestly kinda tasteless reverb. Who cares? Crank the feedback to max and just sing a couple notes in – the cavern fills up with air and the bendy guitars suddenly live somewhere other than empty space.. they live in the cave with all the air in it. The resampled voices that blend with the drums get squeezed when there's so much swirling. The blippy synth cuts through it just enough. It sounds so good. You throw this on and turn the lights down low and just kind of bop your head to the rhythms that the delay pedal generates. "Déjate caer, ya es tiempo" -- let yourself fall, it's time.

Upcoming September albums:

You know what, I am going to check out "Friday" singer/YouTube cringe phenom Rebecca Black's new LP. The singles are fun pop music & that's where my head has been at lately. Age Of The Exhibitionist is out on 9/4 as a self-released title.
I'm very stoked for the joint EP from the breathiest weirdos I can think of– saxophone freak Colin Stetson and bagpipe freak Brighde Chaimbeul are putting out their duo album All the light in the world on 9/11 thru Envision.
Always stoked to hear what bedroom pop songwriter This Is Lorelei is putting out & love the title The Singer in my Band for a 2nd LP. Out 9/11 on Matador Records.
Aussie singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin absolutely slays each album, I have no reason to expect different for The Gem which is her first for 4AD. Out 9/25.
I've been on a huge Protomartyr kick, just in time for their latest entry into the talk-singy wiry post-punk canon. Hotel Usona is out 9/25 via Domino.

Garbage Corner

This video has some cool techniques for introducing feedback into sound design, using delay as the source of feedback. I don't love the narration, and the video uses FL Studio, but you could use any DAW (or delay pedal) to get similar effects. Some really pleasing sounds and ideas worth exploring – I'm always trying to find new ways to incorporate and tame runaway feedback in my songwriting.

Scene Report

I am playing 2 shows in September!!

Tuesday 9/15 - Catherine Savage @ Pearl Street Warehouse w/ Anna Graves

Saturday 9/26 - Chanp @ Peabody Heights Brewery at a benefit for the MD Brain Injury Association w/ Tongue Scraper + more

I had a great time at Subscape the giant free music festival here in Baltimore! I wish I could have seen even more bands, but here are the bands I saw:

Bag Of Humans; Natural Velvet; Dosser; My Wife's An Angel; Black Celebration DJ sets at Current Space; Credit; So Near, So Far; Halloween; Twings; Father Sokka + TAT; Mind On Fire; Consumer Culture; Euclid C Finder; Soul Glo

Upcoming Shows

Baltimore

9/1 (Tue) Wilfrido Terrazas, Bonnie Lander & John Dierker, Secret Special Guest @ Normals
9/2 (Wed) Pharmakon, Relay For Death, Jacob Winans, $5000, Cube @ Current Space
9/4 (Fri) Moth Broth Single Release w/ Amy Reid, Sylvia Jones, Bloody Crying Twinks @ 2640 Space
9/4 (Fri) Crosscurrence: Approaching Collapse @ Current Space
9/6 (Sun) Assembly, Citizenry, Music Mouse, Choking Boys @ The Undercroft
9/7 (Mon) Pescatore, Boat Water, Little Lungs, Ladybird @ Ottobar (Upstairs)
9/9 (Wed) Pinwheel Daisy, Krime Slugs, Liger Bombs, Still Bones @ Ottobar
9/10 (Thu) Jessica Ackerley, Rachel Beetz, Alma Laprida @ Normals
9/11 (Fri) Numero Group Pop-Up Record Sale @ Le Mondo
9/11 (Fri) Waco Mammoth @ The Red Room (Normals)
9/12 (Sat) Crying Lauging Record Release w/ Deakin, Mojuba Duo @ 2640 Space
9/12 (Sat) Hardgroove Noise Fest Day 1 @ The Hargrove
9/13 (Sun) Hardgroove Noise Fest Day 2 @ The Hargrove
9/13 (Sun) Rachel Beetz, Bruce Willen, Melissa Hyatt Foss, Daoure Diongue, Tyrone Page & James David Young @ Pikesville Armory
9/14 (Mon) Jeff Rosenstock @ Ottobar
9/18 (Fri) Ella Can’t Save You, Velvet, Lana Leone, Humidifier @ The Undercroft
9/19 (Sat) 9 Million, Aunt Katrina, Polarview, Roxy 2, Geeker, Bubbler @ Ottobar
9/19 (Sat) The Budos Band @ Union Craft Brewing
9/22 (Tue) Gillian Carter, Starveling, Letterstoyou, Still Drift @ Metro
9/23 (Wed) Green House @ Current Space
9/24 (Thu) Nitzer Ebb, Vosh @ Soundstage
9/25 (Fri) War On Women, Ted Leo, Rye Coaltion, Sleepytime Trio @ Ottobar
9/26 (Sat) BANDS FOR BRAINS: Feat Chanp @ Peabody Heights
9/30 (Wed) The New Pornographers @ The Recher

DC

9/2 (Wed) The Messthetics @ JV Restaurant
9/7 (Mon) Shivfest @ Rhizome
9/8 (Tue) Robyn, Nourished By Time @ The Anthem
9/9 (Wed) Robyn, Nourished By Time @ The Anthem
9/11 (Fri) Aldous Harding, Sam Burton @ Howard Theatre
9/12 (Sat) Missouri Executive Order 44, Psyop, Euclid C Finder @ Quarry House
9/13 (Sun) Shearling, Brother Dragon @ Comet Ping Pong
9/15 (Tue) Angine de Poitrine @ The Atlantis
9/15 (Tue) Anna Graves, Catherine Savage @ Pearl St Warehouse
9/17 (Thu) Angine de Poitrine @ Lincoln Theatre
9/18 (Fri) Kim Gordon, Bill Nace @ Black Cat
9/18 (Fri) Dying Fetus & Sanguisugabogg @ Fillmore
9/19 (Sat) Grouper @ Lincoln Theatre
9/19 (Sat) El Ten Eleven, Tall Tall Trees @ Pearl St Warehouse
9/21 (Mon) Saves The Day, Dosser @ Union Stage
9/22 (Tue) DOMi & Jd Beck @ Howard Theatre
9/25 (Fri) Altin Gün @ Howard Theatre
9/27 (Sun) Armand Hammer, Curly Castro @ Union Stage
9/28 (Mon) Julia Wolf, Bee Blackwell @ 9:30 Club
9/28 (Mon) Croz Boyce (Avey Tare and Geologist of Animal Collective), Mick Barr @ Miracle Theatre
9/29 (Tue) Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band, Styrofoam Winos @ Black Cat

NYC

9/4 (Fri) Booker Stardrum & Evan Shornstein, Alfredo Colón Trio @ Public Records
9/9 (Wed) Brandon Seabrook: Utility Modern (w/ Bill Frisell, Marcus Gilmore, Rashaan Carter) @ Public Records
9/10 (Thu) Nirosta Steel (Night #1/3), Time Wharp, Kassie Krut DJ @ Night Club 101
9/11 (Fri) House Of Gaza Benefit Show @ PIT
9/11 (Fri) Iceblink, Crying Laughing, Jeff Tobias @ Pianos
9/13 (Sun) MKULTRA (Release Show), Boyscoutmarie, Wiring @ Union Pool
9/13 (Sun) Raven Chacon / Tashi Dorji / Alex Zhang Hungtai, Leo Chang @ Roulette
9/15 (Tue) Colin Stetson, Brìghde Chaimbeul @ Pioneer Works
9/15 (Tue) Upper Wilds, Editrix, Chaser @ Union Pool
9/15 (Tue) Spontaneous Resonance: Sam Newsome / Evan Palmer / Willy Rodriguez, Megumi Yonezawa / Ken Filiano / Ken Kobayashi @ iBeam
9/16 (Wed) Tyondai Braxton, Qasim Naqvi @ Public Records
9/16 (Wed) Truck Violence @ Trans-Pecos
9/17 (Thu) Frances Chang, Cate Kennan, Financial Collapse @ Night Club 101
9/28 (Mon) A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Pan-American @ Pioneer Works
9/29 (Tue) A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Pan-American @ Pioneer Works
9/29 (Tue) Bathed in Sound: James Brandon Lewis Trio, Trap Music Orchestra, Angelica Sanchez, Sheela Bringi & Clinton Patterson @ Roulette
9/29 (Tue) Croz Boyce (Dave Portner & Brian Weitz), Masaaki @ Public Records
9/30 (Wed) Cate Le Bon, Lucrecia Dalt, Dagmar Zuniga @ Knockdown Center

Future Shows

10/4 (Sun) Unsane, Consumer Culture @ Pearl St Warehouse (DC)
10/5 (Mon) Russian Circles, Pelican @ Soundstage (Baltimore)
10/8 (Thu) Horse Lords @ Pioneer Works (NYC)
10/8 (Thu) Cor de Lux, Editrix, Yuvees, Big Girl @ The Broadway (NYC)
10/10 (Sat) Horse Lords with Crying Laughing & Duncan Moore @ Ottobar (Baltimore)
10/11 (Sun) Panopticon, Catharsis, more TBA @ Ottobar (Baltimore)
10/18 (Sun) The Dillinger Escape Plan @ Nevermore Hall (Baltimore)
10/23 (Fri) Yhwh Nailgun with guest KeiyaA @ Ottobar (Baltimore)
10/29 (Thu) They Are Gutting A Body Of Water @ Ottobar (Baltimore)
11/5 (Thu) Built to Spill Fall 2026 Tour @ Union Craft Brewing (Baltimore)