ADVAETA, HEAVEN'S GATE

Brooklyn's Advaeta used to be called Advaita, but in 2012 they changed their name in deference to a New Delhi band who claimed it first. Having little knowledge of Hinduism, I'll admit that I thought first of over-the-counter medicine, and maybe that's not so far off: "Angelfish", with its 1960s jangle wreathed in an all-consuming din, is both headache and palliative all at once; it is a jagged knife chased by a soothing balm.

For a trio, Lani Combier-Kapel, Amanda Salane, and Sara Fantry make a pretty monumental sound; one suspects that their fuzzboxes have fuzzboxes of their own, so obscured is the signal beneath the glowing cascade of noise. The main point of reference seems to be Cocteau Twins' grungy Garlands, but turned into a garage-punk rave-up; you can also detect the ghost of Spacemen 3 shrouded in the smoke from their burning bass amps. Their vocals soar, but they're left low enough in the mix that they force you to reach down to meet them halfway; it's a trick that positions the listener well above their already sky-riding tunes, which is to say very high indeed.

- Philip Sherburne / Pitchfork


Formed from the ashes of the sludgy dream-pop act Sweet Bulbs, Heaven's Gate make noise that borders on post-punk, shoegaze, and Danzig. Yeah, that's right, Danzig."

-VICE/NOISEY