Bruce Smear – “Pick And Roll” (Stereogum Premiere)

Bruce Smear – “Pick And Roll” (Stereogum Premiere)

Tommy Davidson plays in the chilled-out Brooklyn indie band Beach Fossils, but in his own time he produces music under the name Bruce Smear, whose Chlorine EP is out later this year. One listen to the new single “Pick And Roll” and any associations with Davidson’s main band will go out the window; this is its polar opposite. Filled with glaring synths and angular rhythms, it’s an ultra-focused exercise in aggression. Over those beats come loud samples of shouts, barks, and basketball-court noise, from dribbling to sneaker squeaks to cheers. If you’re coming at this from more of an electronic point of view, that last part might remind you of “The Courts” from Jam City’s dizzyingly excellent album Classical Curves. Listen to it below and let it dribble your mind for a couple minutes.

Chlorine is out later this year via Driftless Recordings. Preorder the cassette here and pick up “Pick And Roll” digitally here.

more from News