MAMALARKY - Hex Key (Vinyl)

Mamalarky thrive in the in-between, a tri-coastal outfit strad- dling Atlanta, Austin, and Los Angeles, crafting a sound that feels both meticulously constructed and effortlessly unspooled. Their brand of indie rock is delightfully askew-swirling psych flourishes meet wiry guitar tangents, all anchored by tender, off-kilter hooks that burrow deep. It's music that invites you into its strange little universe, full of inside jokes and late- night musings turned into melodic gold. Their sophomore effort, Hex Key - marking their Epitaph Records debut-lands in April, with plenty of mileage ahead as they road- test new material. A spring tour includes a run with Hinds and a stop at Treefort Music Fest, where their shape-shifting sonics will no doubt translate into hypnotic, full-bodied chaos. Formed in Austin in 2016, Mamalarky's lineup has since scattered across time zones, but their chemistry remains unmistakable. Guitarist Livvy Bennett (formerly of Cherry Glazerr), keyboard- ist Michael Hunter (White Denim), drummer Dylan Hill, and bass- ist Noor Khan (Faye Webster's touring bassist) operate like a band that's spent years finishing each other's musical sentenc- es. Their songwriting thrives on kinetic interplay-nimble and restless, yet always landing in some deeply satisfying pocket. While indie-pop might be the easiest tag to slap on them, Mama- larky dodge the genre's more predictable trappings. Instead of settling into breezy melancholy, they embrace complexity-knotty time signatures, rubbery basslines, and melodies that feel like they're winking at you. It's heady but never pretentious, the kind of music that rewards repeat listens, each spin revealing a new hidden corner.

Vinyl release of Mamalarky - Hex Key (Vinyl). Released through EPITAPH and available on LP.