Portland polyglot-popsters Brainstorm have announced their upcoming album, Heat Waves, which is due out on October 2 on the much-loved local label Tender Loving Empire. It's Brainstorm's most succinct and effective statement of purpose to date, and will feature new material alongside re-recordings of some material that's appeared on previous releases (including the marvelous "Beast in the Sky" 7-inch and the Flat Earth EP as well as their 2009 full-length Battling Giants). Brainstorm was long the duo of Adam Baz and Patrick Phillips, although their ranks have grown to three with the addition of bassist Tamara Barnes.
Brainstorm have always been one of the most ambitious bands on the Portland circuit, incorporating African sounds, Latin rhythms, and rain-soaked Pacific Northwest indie pop. They've also been one of the finest live bands in town; an advance listen to Heat Waves—which was produced by Robby Moncrieff, who engineered Dirty Projector's Bitte Orca—indicates that they've translated their energy successfully to vinyl. Or tape, or digital zeroes and ones, or whatever you're listening to.
Take a listen to the first advance track, "Beast in the Sky," which originally appeared on a 7-inch but now has been given a superior re-recording to sound both fuller and rawer than ever before. Brainstorm will play MusicfestNW in September, and also are curating an event at the Time Based Arts festival on September 10, which will include live Skype performances from Western African musicians.
LISTEN:
Brainstorm - "Beast in the Sky"
Cover art and tracklist after the jump.