Rec Centre

Toronto, Ontario’s Rec Centre has been my favourite glitch/synth-pop artist for several years (you see, I can appreciate more than just music that satisfies my jangle preferences!). So, I was thrilled when their latest album, Squash, delved more deeply into the jangly twee-pop aesthetic they’ve always flirted with.

A contender for single of the year, “Polly and Andy” is accompanied by “Squishy” in a sound that contrasts the big synths and fractured twee-pop essence of Veritie Synthetique with the delightful jangly indie-pop charm of an act like U.S. Highball. Meanwhile, “Reclaimed By Nature,” “The Galileo,” “Undying,” and the title track reshape this sense of fracture into a Young Marble Giants-style glitch-pop, filling the natural spaces in such a sound with sentient jangly twee-pop.

However, the outliers on this release may resonate most with the listener. From the far reaches of musical obscurity, “Tiger” immerses the listener in a Tony Molina-inspired modern power-pop that feels so different from the surrounding twee that it gains added weight. In contrast, the genuine jangle-gaze of The Slow Wonder and the stunning track “Sadie” provide the album’s most beautiful moments.

Of course, as is the natural inclination of our Subjangle label, one listen to this album had us typing out begging letters and frantically pressing send in an attempt to persuade them to allow us to release it on CD.

Thankfully, Alex Hudson replied, not only agreeing but also adding three wonderful tracks to create a deluxe version. He also confirmed that profits would go towards producer Jay Armer's transition and medical costs (gofundme page here), so please support this album if you possibly can by buying a CD or digital copy here.