Emeralds
Based in Cleveland Ohio, Emeralds are one of the best bands in years to rise up out of the American drone scene. They initially built their reputation via the prolific release of super-limited CDrs, cassettes and vinyl pressings, including the majestic "What Happened?" on Carlos Giffoni's Not No Fun label. Their sound is a lush flood of synth and guitar that slowly develops and swells, blending ambient music with 80s synth textures, kosmic sound and minimalism. "Does It Look Like I'm Here" is their latest album. Released on the Austrian label Mego, it eschews the longer Emeralds improvised jams, to create a series of tightly constructed pieces. As a result, they've achieved greater recognition and a wider audience. Placing it in their Best New Music category, Pitchfork praised "the overload of information, the spray of frequencies, the thrilling, viscous rush."
