Music videos have been changing on a regular basis for the last forty-plus years, but the identity that rock n’ roll possess hasn’t budged much in a long time now. Scene politics might be a thing of the past, but the need for loud volume and bone-crushing rhythm is just as strong as it’s ever been, and among the rising stars in the contemporary underground, I think Love Crushed Velvet might be the most interesting making waves this summer. Their new single, titled “The Future,” ironically sounds like an ode to the psychedelic rock of yesteryear more than a glimpse into a crystal ball, but its tributary offering to the gods is just what my August soundtrack needed to feel complete.
Right off the bat, we’re getting a lot of presence from the percussion in this mix that I would even dare to deem harsh were it not coupled with a gutsy guitar element I could listen to all day long. There’s a throbbing drumbeat behind every suffocating bass part and hungry lyric, but they never end up feeling over-imposed in this arrangement at all. Turbulent as this mix is, it produces a lot of intimate sonic depth I have a lot of love for no matter where it’s coming from.
The bass and the guitar get into all-out war at one point here, but the kineticism they’re able to conjure up makes all of the contrast well worth it to the listener. I’ve heard my share of manic riffs over the last few years, but this is more controlled and disciplined than anything currently trending in the indie circuit. The lyrics are a little thin, but that’s not what “The Future” is about – this is an instrumental wonder, and it’s as epic as I could ask for.
I’m really looking forward to finding out what Love Crushed Velvet has got planned for their next single, but until I have the opportunity to check out their music again, “The Future” has provided me with an excellent introduction to who they are in a non-self-conscious setting. They’ve got the right to be more than a little swaggering with their performance, and as long as they stick with this euphoria-first brand of rock music, they’re going to keep making gains with audiences curious about what sits on the horizon for this genre and all heavy music in general around the world.