I'm a sucker for atmospheric indie rock. There's something about those sweeping soundscapes, melancholy muted vocals and rhythmic guitar solo tangents that burrow their place in my heart. The ambling sensibility of bands like Bedhead and Galaxie 500, and also Colonies, creates a sense of movement and space through a very organized, tidy approach. As someone who likes to organize the hell out of everything, this tactic pleases me.

Colonies, a quartet formed in 2006 in the Seattle/Tacoma area, prescribes to that particular slowcore aesthetic. Their debut release on Thirteen Original, Sleep Patterns, is chocked with quiet noise laced with inflated punchy percussion. Some of their swells and breakdowns are reminiscent of the loud/quiet style of Slint, one of my all-time favorite bands. I think Colonies does a good job of mastering the tedious balance between soft and loud, tame and bombastic.

Sleep Patterns is cohesive and a perfect accompaniment to days spent in front of a computer screen. I've spent quite a few days at work lately drowning myself in this Colonies record, keeping it on repeat for quite a while.

Colonies is opening for Black Whales and Darker My Love at Neumo's on September 2nd. Sounds like a good chance to see a budding band before the early-riser eyes get droopy!