by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Pond 1000 are the new project from Katie Mcshane (vocals, guitar, synths) and Jesse Heasly (bass, synth), formerly of Spirits Having Fun, this time teaming with Iris Marion and Dylan Kumnick on guitar and drums after having relocated to parts of Maine. Pond 1000 show off some impressive musical skills on debut daffodiL with knotty tunes that squirm around various styles and rhythms as McShane’s vocals can dazzle through chiming high register exaltations adding another instrumental aspect to a somewhat disengaged emotional tremor. The complexity the group has achieved with each other truly stands out and recalls the experimentation of bands like Polvo and Unwound with a touch of musical cool of a band like Sea and Cake, which manages to be ultra-compelling in execution. McShane and Heasly continue to explore their musical connection and show an openness to add new flourishes and approaches as they continue to strive towards musical transcendence.
“Sugarcube/Small Cloud” comes charging out of the gates as McShane and Marion’s chiming guitars bounce off each other before one explodes in a quick burst of overdrive and pull-offs as the rhythm section lay down a motorik beat. Kumnicks’s drums keep the beat and pull off fast rolls and cymbal crashes as McShane’s vocals chirp and hum as everything comes to a boil underneath here. “The Shelf” ends the record with a pulsing bit of warm melodies with McShane dropping colorful upper ranged vocals as Heasly’s bass throbs around hypnotic guitar patterns and synth circles. The band play with the listener as the melody falls in and out between screeching feedback and guitar leads before settling back down into the charged rhythm that is reminiscent of a rapidly beating heart filled with moments of anxiety.
“Rivulet” has a bit of a jazzy composition to it as synths billow and Heasly’s bass pulses between Kumnick’s skittering shuffle. As tempos change, the hypnotic soundscapes never falter. The guitars sparkle and repeat patterns that, for the most part, aurally embody the peacefulness of slowly dripping water before cascading into a spiky and tense ending. “That Mall Was Mine” musically squiqqles and bounces almost manically while Mcshane’s vocal range is fully explored in it’s dusky complexity and chirping highs. There’s a dustiness to this track that has a sweetness to it, highlighting the dream-like fragmentation that is captured lyrically with a strong sense of frustration.
Daffodil presents a confident and crafted introduction to a band that know their way around both chaotic explosions and deft-hand melodies that catch the ear immediately. Pond 1000 has the capability to stun the listener with swift changes in atmosphere and approaches which encourage strong and consistent engagement rewarding listeners with musical gems. McShane has always had a unique approach to music and Pond 1000 shows her tackling various musical styles, be it humming grooves or prog-y explorations that twist and turn down all sorts of interesting angles. On their debut, Pond 1000 show off how in sync they are as a musical moment, and each of these tracks carry their own bits of exploration and trippy ecstasy.