Family Average: 5/7

Australia-based band culte has some kool-aid for everyone in the form of their latests EP, goodnight. Was the whole family ready to dawn their lo-fi psychedelic tin foil hats and drink up? I mean by the looks of their album art it would be a perfectly cute cult to join. Only one way to find out….

Take a listen to goodnight below and see what the family had to say.

Who has got two thumbs and really likes moody music. That's right, this guy does. Me, yeah…

Okay well what really can I say? I really dug these tunes. All the little pieces in the album started off strong, and just kept getting stronger. By the end of my first listen I automatically kicked it off again, and this cycle has been repeating for the last week. I now have heard the album a fair number of times. The sounds are just so comforting.

From the crisp ping of the ride cymbal, to the shiny sounding guitar—oh and those vocals, can not leave them out because WOOF that would just be a foolish mistake. They boast a real intimate style of singing, giving the lyrics an immense amount of weight, as if the artist is sitting next to you on the train home confiding in you. Gosh darn people, fans of bands like The Sandwitches and All Girl Summer Fun Band, should have a listen as soon as you can.

I want to join this culte. Bring on the ritual sacrifice! 

5/7 

Goodnight by culte has all the elements of a good EP: airy vocals and excellently matched instrumentals and arrangements. The lead singer reminds me a bit of Natalie Merchant back in the day. They do not really have a similar style, it’s just that they are very much in control what is going on musically and they have  clear vision for the art they are working to produce.  

My favorite track was “I don’t wanna” because she shows how her laid back vocals can also work with a more energetic, almost punk-like arrangement. The rest of the album, although I find them talented, was just too Lo-Fi psychedelic dreamy for me. I tend to like a little more energy than this genre tends to produce. It is very often I appreciate this type of indie rock however, not very often that I like it. In this regard this was one of the more appealing of the group.

4/7

The start-and-stop intro from the instruments kinda wake you up before putting you into a dream-like state once the vocals are introduced. — Andre

This is some amazing dream-pop. Culte really won me over within seconds of their first track “Lachlan.” The start-and-stop intro from the instruments kinda wake you up before putting you into a dream-like state once the vocals are introduced. And boy, those vocals are really something else. They’re so smooth and almost slide into the music without being intrusive. Man, this track is just something else. Super good.

Most of the songs on the EP have the same almost gentle sound that kept me in that dream-like state. The continuation of this dreamy sound is super satisfying and I almost didn’t want it end, but once the final track, “I Don’t Wanna,” begins the band pulls you out with a faster paced and more aggressive song. Almost as if the band is waking you up from your sweet, melancholic dreams.

Being a 20-something recent college grad, I think I’m like the perfect demo for this type of music and for the band so all of their songs really resonated with me.

Favorite tracks gotta be “Lachlan,” “Southside,” and “I Don't Wanna.”

7/7