The debut release from Atlanta artist Mallbangs features performances from Benjamin Homola & Daniel Gleason of Grouplove, drums by Marshall Vore (Phoebe Bridgers), and bass by Grace Rapasky (Lunar Vacation). Mallbangs is the musical project of sole proprietor Josh Smith who routinely collects a team of Atlanta musicians to put together a distinct and fresh brand of bedroom pop. Drawing equally from retro indie stalwarts like Grouper and The Books, combined with experimentalists like Bjork, Steve Reich, and cult darlings Sparklehorse, Mallbangs presents a modern brew of top-quality songwriting and an impeccable production aesthetic.
"Forget Me Nots" presents a lilted flavor of Paisley Underground crossed with 70s slow-rock classicism, and delivers a raw and deeply personal experience with equal parts pithy introspection and self discovery. It is rare to hear a debut that feels so well developed, as Mallbangs flaunts an undeniable sense of originality and clarity of purpose. The crew went mask-on at Atlanta's Big Trouble Studios during Covid Autumn for "Put Me Out." This simmering debut was engineered by studio co-owner TJ Elias and produced by the inimitable Daniel Gleason.
Mallbangs successfully synthesizes many different strands of guitar pop to produce a sound that feels both strangely familiar and surprisingly complex.
