Blind Man's Colour

If you read Kanye West’s blog for any reason beyond pure entertainment or comedy, then you may have heard of Blind Man’s Colour. If you wait around for a couple more years, the band will be a household name amongst hipsters and beachgoers alike.

The band—hailing from St. Petersburg, Florida and led by Kyle Wyss and Orhan Chettri—released their debut LP this summer after six months of steady hype brought on by Kanye and others blogging about their music. “Season Dreaming” is the product of several years worth of material, and its title and the season of its release could not be more appropriate for a group whose lifeblood is sand and salty sea.

Though scores of blogs—and now magazines—like to point toward the band’s influences, which include the likes of Animal Collective and spin-off Panda Bear, Wyss and Chettri have most certainly forged a new path, incorporating elements of electronic, noise rock, experimental, and, at times, even hip-hop beats—all the while paying the utmost respect to the vibe of the Gulf Coast shoreline they grew up on. They are destined to be the fathers of an entirely new sub genre: Beach-Ethereal Electronic Rock.

With their many varied elements, it would seem that Blind Man’s Colour’s music would be confused and overstuffed. But, surprisingly, the band is at its best when their many sounds converge, bringing together and maintaining the various aspects of their experimentation. Two tracks that come to mind immediately are “Anxious Place” and “Jimmy Dove.” The former moves along with a lively drumbeat and chord progression, which is simultaneously insistent and somehow loping—like waves breaking on the shore. This combined with synth effects and audible lyrics make “Anxious Place” a truly successful and catchy song.

“Jimmy Dove” is a beast of an entirely differnt nature, and moving forward, the band should strongly consider making its unique sound into their calling card. The song opens with heavy, bubbling synth and a chorus of vocal “oh’s,” creating a trippy underwater effect. The lyrics then quickly burst on scene with an intensity a notch above The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Just Like Honey.” The chorus is easily the highlight of the album with its hip-hop beat, strobing synth, and entrancing lyrics.

Summer is almost over, so you won’t be able to enjoy Blind Man’s Colour next to a beach or pool, but they will remind you of that setting nonetheless, and for those listeners not from the bleak Northeast, help you get through the long, sunless winter.

—Staff Writer Andrew F. Nunnelly can be reached at nunnelly@fas.harvard.edu.