One of the best albums to come out of Portland in 2017 was Turtlenecked’s Vulture, a collection of 10 ragged art-rock songs powered largely by the electric guitar and Harrison Smith’s emotionally raw howls and yelps.
Buried near the record’s end is “Tummy,” a track that runs nearly seven minutes and works within a more beat- and synth-driven palette. It stands out among its surroundings, not only for its sonic aesthetic, but also because it feels more composed and fully formed than much of the rest of the album.
Turns out “Tummy” also acts as a precursor for High Scores of the Heart, Turtlenecked’s excellent new EP, out now on Good Cheer Records. Its eight tracks are moodier, more relaxed, and more polished than those on Vulture, and they’re built principally out of drum machines and synths.