Shape-shifting rhythms and melodic guitar lines with eruptive dynamics and intimate, heartfelt vocals: DERDE VERDE, named after Val Verde, a rural valley town of coyotes, rolling hills, and big sky, an hour north of the city, play "a fresh brand of rock, the three piece have proven nothing but capable as becoming indie's next darlings" (Alt Citizen). After having put out a row of critically acclaimed singles, L.A.'s artful indie-rock trio finally releases 'Meander Belt' that includes all four songs plus the new track 'Shattered Moon'.
With influences from shoegaze, to krautrock, to indie electronica, the band's music has been described as "quietly melodic sound-scapes that twist and turn like a wild stream, refusing to be pigeonholed" (LA RECORD). L.A. WEEKLY notes, "The spirits of bands like SONIC YOUTH, YO LA TENGO and SPOON are all at work here, but not always in the way you'd expect. It's nice to see a group putting some independence back into indie rock."
After touring the US and Europe in support of their last record 'Let Me Be a Light', DERDE VERDE spent much of the last year produc-ing new songs in a warehouse above a flower shop in Downtown LA. The band had started off releasing the songs of 'Meander Belt' one by one with the first single 'Days Of Drought'. It was described as "a soaring psychedelic soundscape that could almost bring rain itself" by Buzzbands.la and the second was enthusiastically received by the media as well. Impose Magazine wrote about 'Staring into Dying Light': "The track listens like a mashup between GRIZZLY BEAR and BEACH HOUSE, taking the ethereal factors of both into strong consideration. It's a welcomed introduction to the group, and a sign of the dreamy tunes they will continue to create."
Although 'Meander Belt' was released as a string of singles in the first place, the tracks are all connected by a common concept. Dylan McKenzie, singer and guitarist of DERDE VERDE, explains it the following: "The EP is a collection of songs that draws on themes of loss, fear, love, longing, and transformation. We developed the new songs as a trio while on tour before taking them into the studio and crafting atmospheric layers of loops, synths, and ambience around the live arrangements. The lyrics move from intimately personal confessions, to the surreal imagery of the subconscious. The title refers to the movement of a river stream, as it shifts its channel from time to time, or in times of flood. We are interested in this as a metaphor for the landscape of the self, something that seems constant and permanent, but is also never the same: flowing and changing, contradicting itself, twisting and transforming."
Track List:
1. Days Of Drought
2. Staring Into Dying Light
3. Turn
4. Ready To Fall
5. Shattered Moon
