If hypnagogic pop has been the sound of summer, then Ducktails have been the summery sound of summer. Landscapes is the third Ducktails release. Matthew Mondanile from New Jersey plays everything on Landscapes, guitars, synths, drum machines..., and adds occasional vocals to create these wonderful, sun-dappled landscapes. The end results betray influences ranging from 1970s German music (the synth melody of “Spring” hints at Kraftwerk’s “Neon Lights”, while “Landrunner” runs on Michael Rother-esque guitars) to surf pop (those hazy backing vocals recall the Beach Boys, while there is a big fuzzy surf guitar twang), but lo-fi (albeit much higher-fi than on Backyard). Even at its most languid, with Mondanile intoning like a stoned Thurston Moore with a duvet in his mouth on “Wishes”, it has a compelling charm: he has successfully created a sound world which sets him apart from his peers. With Autumn poised over the climactic toilet bowl, loosening its belt, I’d love to wrap myself in the thick, protective towelling of Ducktails for the next few months.* mapsadaisical
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