A tiny, narrow, urban grotto in Seattle’s Central District, serves as the home for Hollow Earth Radio, a young internet radio station committed to giving voices to underrepresented musical formats and artists, including but not limited to found sound, field recordings, and local bands. In addition to performing this important service, the space also hosts shows, which are recorded and then broadcast via the radio station, which you can stream online.
While in Seattle last month, I had the privilege of catching one of these intimate recording sessions with two excellent bands, Pacific Northwest-based band Lake and L.A.-based band Bouquet. Both bands were on their way to Anacortes, where they would play the Anacortes Unknown Music Series in a few days. Hollow Earth’s digs may be small, but the atmosphere in this tucked away, metropolitan cavern is warm and magical.
Lake kicked off the event, playing an immaculate set of irresistible, mellow pop. Every Lake show I’ve ever seen has consisted of a remarkably attentive and respectful bunch of fans, but this seemed to take things to another level, perhaps attributable to the glowing, “ON THE AIR” sign shining above the band. Paul Benson is the newest addition to the collective, which has had a few rotating members but remains largely cohesive around couple Eli Moore and Ashley Eriksson. The band recently released a new album on K Records as well as an LP on their own, and elected to play several cuts from both. “What You See Is What You Get” from Circular Doorway always stands out as a highlight.
Bouquet, a two-piece consisting of Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs on vocals and guitar and Max Foreman on keys, followed Lake to close out the evening. The duo is assisted by a fleet of drum machines, which provide a variety of nuanced percussive dynamics. The group’s dark minimalist pop is simultaneously beautiful and stark, full of flowing, undulating synths and clanging, metallic guitar tones. We’ve praised their work more than a few times, and they keep giving us cause to reiterate our affection; the band appears to reach new depths of self-awareness with each new song.
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