Altered Zones

With recording and performance project Black Jeans, Oakland's Russell Butler has been churning out some seriously dramatic goth synthesizer jams. But he also knows how to get sugary while he's way out in space. The first two tracks of his four-song demo are marked by an Ian Curtis-style dark gut-croon, reminiscent of an energized Silk Flowers. "Canyons", the first track, embodies this dark-as-fuck sensibility, vocals blazing. The next two are a bit different, the third an amorphous blob of buzzing, pulsing wind. The fourth, "Visa Stamp," is a straight-up downer pop gem, with harmonies that sink into and emerge from a hissing oblivion. (via Friendship Bracelet)

MP3: Black Jeans: "Visa Stamp"

Black Jeans' demo is available for free download