Whether delivered via a gritty melodic hue in “Danger,” a distant swing in “Modified” or through a surprisingly rock-inspired mix ala “Suspension of Disbelief,” Tundra Music Collective is all about powerful and driven harmonies in Rawk On. Between the instruments and the vocals, there’s incendiary chemistry that produces some surprisingly sterling foundations for almost every exciting moment this album has to offer, but I wouldn’t say that the disc is an homage to a similarly conventional hip-hop model we saw explode out of the American scene to the south just a decade ago. This is a band that blends together a lot of eclectic influences, but despite their scattered origin, the music they create is anything but unfocused.

Beyond the interplay between the melodic instrumental parts and the vocals, there are plenty of intriguing beats to behold on Rawk On. Take the slick title track or mildly harmony-focused “Kanpe” for prime examples; though both of these tracks are steeped in enormous grooves that aren’t dependent on a drum element in theory, they wouldn’t be nearly as engaging were they not riddled with the potent percussive elements they’re each afforded here. Tundra Music Collective aren’t communicating through singular channels in this LP; for all intents and purposes, they’re utilizing the studio – and their instrumental output – as much as possible in this capacity.

This record has a great flow that allows for otherwise conflicting compositions like “Modified” and “Safe” to sit together in the tracklist rather seamlessly. Rawk On often feels less like an introduction than it does an album that’s been tightly packed with identity affirmations – even at its most simplistic, like the aforementioned “Safe,” it’s got a full-bodied feel that isn’t frequently found in this type of hip-hop release. There are a lot of ways to broach a six-song package, but from where I sit, Tundra Music Collective gives fans more bang for our buck than the average indie outfit does in 2023.

It would be really interesting to hear some heavier material from this band in the future, mostly because the metallic components of these songs suggest a fiery side worth exploring. Aesthetically speaking, I think it would be safe to say that Tundra Music Collective has a lot of rock, soul, hip-hop, jazz, afrobeat, and worldbeat in their daily diet, but they’re not posting up throwbacks in this offering.

They’re still coming into their own, and with the work they lay down here, I can’t wait to hear what they can do with more firepower and room to breathe in the studio.

There’s still a lot of heavy lifting to be done, but the potential that Tundra Music Collective is boasting in Rawk On is unmistakable even to the most novice of critics. 2022 was an interesting year for indie music, but if you’re looking for something consistent and fireworks-laden in 2023, this is one record you won’t want to miss out on. Quality beats quantity every time, and that’s especially true in an album like this one.

Sebastian Cole

If you had told me that the next time I’d hear an ABBA cover, it would be through the lens of a distorted, sound-rock, electro-dark ambient sound collective from Athens, Georgia, well, I probably would have believed you. Crazier things have happened, with one such example being that the cover was actually outstanding! Auto Chlor, a group I’m not too familiar with, has come back with not one but two full-length LPs. Kid Gloves and Crystal Math — it’s on the latter that you’ll hear the dissonant, moody take on Sweden’s sweethearts, and if you’re anything like me it’ll pique your interest enough to give the rest of the records a look!

Kid Gloves, the first of the duo, is a fantastic introduction to the Georgia-based art-rock group. According to the group’s ringleader, xx periscope, Kid Gloves is a portrait of xx periscope’s work life. They say similarly that Crystal Math is a portrait of xx periscope’s decaying home life, and the dynamic between the two records is noticeable. Kid Gloves features such enigmatic song titles as “yaw joggle,” “chivvy,” and “beefy truce,” and xx periscope has said they got the titles based on a random word generator — the songs would only then be written after the title was acquired.

BANDCAMP: https://autochlor.bandcamp.com/album/kid-gloves

This type of free-flowing artistic ingenuity is carried across the entire record, as compositions such as “downiest tine” feel like rediscovered old favorites, home movies projected up on the wall of the basement; there’s something so earnest about every track, and even the more abrasive and electronic-centric tracks work because they’re anchored in the same earnest nature. “melancholy trucking” is off-putting, especially following up “downiest tine,” but the duality is the album. There are glimpses of both sides of humanity to be had, and where you choose to focus is what makes your final decision. “boohoo acquiring” gives the record another go at some beautiful electronic strings, and the growth to the finale feels straight out of a science-fiction picture.

Crystal Math, tackling the subject of decaying home life, feels like a perfect encapsulation of the subject. Album opener “narcotic gawk” is a straightforward, simple orchestral piece playing over distorted vocals and a pulsing heartbeat. Its optimism is quickly removed by the cold, echoing void of the next track, “luxuriant coo.” This is a far colder entry, similarly experimenting with vocal sampling, as cold synths combat a pulsing echo — it sets the album up as a new thing away from Kid Gloves, and the following tracks, all ranging from one minute to two until the aforementioned “Fernando” cover work more as sound collages and brief interludes into an inner psyche than they do as typical songs. It’s an impressive collection of textures and sounds, with “help suggestion” even working as Auto Chlor’s stab at a typical indie rock track — there are still flourishes of distortion, but the song comes across as the most traditional on the album. Putting Kid Gloves and Crystal Math together, listeners will have an excellent double LP from Auto Chlor to wax poetic on. There’s plenty to love from both records, an ABBA cover included!

Loren Sperry