Pelican Ossman, Tessel African, Sad Horse, Montgomery Word
Pelican Ossman's 2015 cassette, As You Are, So Shall I Be, released on Ewe of Now Recordings, is full of deliciously lo-fi pop songs, but also sturdier than that description sounds—thanks to sharp and consistent attention to beats by drummer Emile Ward. Fronting the band are Dan and Virginia Currin, who sprinkle homespun vocals atop a sparse bed of guitars, synths, samples, and other oddball sounds. The results range from plinky-plunky bedroom folk to warm, loping budget-funk to primitive indie rock. On As You Are, Pelican Ossman succeeds at making their ambition feel intimate and endearing, a pretty nifty trick. BEN SALMON