Festive/Destructive
San Francisco, CA
“Understated and memorable”
Bleached Palms’ latest EP, Festive/Destructive, is a perfect blend of hazy vocals, mellow guitar, and steady drumbeats. From the opening track, their music seamlessly carries you between songs until you find the record have ended and all you want to do is hear more.
“Clouds,” the opener, begins with a few guitar chords that merge into subdued drumming and smooth vocals. It sets the tone for the rest of the EP as one song melds into the next, moving you along. “Hiupon” is the “odd track out,” so to speak, as its rhythms tend toward a pace on the downbeat. But the overall essence of their sound remains consistent and you’re pulled right back into the dreamlike haziness of “Been Asleep,” “Do it Yourself Aquatic Garden,” and “Bury It.” The album closer “Bury It” slowly fades into nothing, gently waking you back up to the world around you. But if you close your eyes, it’s easy to put yourself right back in the record – or even imagine yourself in the crowd of a live show, swaying along with the steady rhythms.
Understated but memorable, Festive/Destructive proves Bleached Palms has a sound that shouldn’t be missed. (Self-released)
Recorded and mixed by the band in their studio in San Francisco, CA // “Bury It” recorded by Ruben Rivera in East Bay, CA
-Emily Taylor