Recently named as one of SPIN's best new artists, Brooklyn's pop-rock quintet EX COPS have signed with Shock to release their debut album ‘True Hallucinations’ out February 15, 2013.
Formed in 2011 by Brian Harding (ex-Hymns) and Amalie Bruun (ex-Minks), the duo self-released a short-run, homespun CD-EP of hazy, lo-fi recordings featuring Harding’s opaque bedroom-pop songwriting juxtaposed with the duo’s sun-kissed harmonies. Two of the tracks, “You Are a Lion, I Am a Lamb” b/w “The Millionaire,” were soon released to the world on vinyl as the premiere release from Other Music Recording Co.
The pair continued to write new songs while simultaneously playing more live shows, now working as a five-piece rock band with the addition of good friends Kai Kennedy, Leif Huckman and Sam Bair. Keeping a handful of Ex Cops’ early sessions in place, the newly expanded lineup took to the studio to record True Hallucinations with John Siket (Blonde Redhead, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, etc.) sitting in the production chair. The resulting product maintains the intimate mood of the original group’s sound, but presented in PHOTOSHOP RGB colour.
The songs on True Hallucinations are effortlessly catchy, built from a blend of gentle, harmonies, chiming guitars, and loose swinging rhythms. Ex Cops’ music is very much their own, sounding both classic and modern thanks to some not so hard to identify influences. These sugar sweet pop songs have the sickly edge taken off them by the psychedelic haze that enshrouds them.
Track Listing: 1. S&HSXX (Intro) 2. Ken 3. James 4. You Are A Lion, I Am A Lamb 5. Separator 6. Spring Break (Birthday Song) 7. Jazz & Information 8. The Millionaire 9. Billy Pressly 10. Nico Beast 11. Broken Chinese Chairz
Have a little aural taste of "Broken Chinese Chairz" below.
