by Max Freedman (@anticlimaxwell)
Let’s face it: every band you know—really, everyone you know at all—is moving to Philly. So why the hell did Michael Collier, the brains behind psychedelic pop act Del Sur, relocate to, of all places, Charleston, SC? Simple: “I wanted some damn beaches,” he told CMJ last year. The music shows: even in its current full-band form—a big change from its solo start—Del Sur makes music for the summer (for the uninitiated, del sur translates to “of the sun”). Their newest song “Palm Lines” is no exception, and Post-Trash is thrilled to premiere it today as Del Sur works on its debut album.
With two EPs—the first featuring only Collier and the second boasting accompanying drums—in its past, Collier might be sensing that fans are expecting a full album. Though the eventual LP will include Tyler Sim (keys/vocals), Renny Hedges (guitar/vocals), Alex Kohel (drums), and Chance Laufman (bass) at his side, “Palm Lines” is just Collier and Sim. Collier shared its demo with Sim, and the two collaborated across the Atlantic Ocean, with Collier living in the Netherlands at the time, on transforming it into a finished product. “[Sim’s] bass, keyboard, and percussion parts gave the song new life and nailed down the sort of pop sound we were after,” Collier explains. If Morrissey on the beach was what they were going for, then Collier’s statement rings true: his soft-spoken, low-register vocals sound like The Charming Man himself just making conversation with a nearby friend about, among other things, psychics. Collier sounds as though he’s singing with the minimal energy he can muster following a long day lying on the beach; Sim’s instrumental pastiche of endearingly thin synths, playful drum pops, and swirling arrays of modulated acoustic guitars build this shore-side scenery around Collier. If just two guys can make Del Sure sound this enticing, imagine how enveloping the full-band recordings will be?
“Palm Lines” is officially out tomorrow via Rough Beast Records, shortly before Del Sur (the full band) begins its latest tour. Find dates below:
8/09 - Atlanta, GA @ 529
8/10 - Clemson, SC @ Pablo
8/11 - Harrisonburg, VA @ Easy Greasy
8/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ House
8/15 – Doylestown, PA @ Siren Records
8/16 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brat House
8/18 - Richmond, VA @ Sadd House
8/19 - Columbia, SC @ Tapp's Art Center
8/20 - Athens, GA @ The World Famous