THE PLEASURE POINT

"Ask vocalist JayCub Lake (Muuy Biien) when the Pleasure Point was conceived and he'll obliquely tell you the group has always existed in some "shape or form." But while that may possibly be true in the abstract philosophical sense, the reality is the trio morphed out of the experimental Athens group CottonMouth whose last release was the 2014 hr ep. Since then, Lake and his Pleasure Point cohorts, bassist Bobbie Rapp (Material Girls) and DJ EA Shorts, have moved to Atlanta and started concocting a hazed-out hybrid of murky hip-hop, smooth funk, contorted pop and whatever else the threesome have discovered swirling around their proverbial kitchen sink. Give a listen to "half-way," the first single from the trio's upcoming American Singles, and there's quite a bit to unpack, a cavalcade of reference points to explore if you so choose (check out that sly slice of West Coast G-funk the follows the chorus). But mostly you'll discover a steady flow of woozy beats and narcotic grooves that expand, contract, and then dissipate like so much blunt smoke. At times, it's difficult to decipher whether the group is just goofing on their own version of seductive, late-night R&B, or if everyone is just really faded and reveling in the moment. Truth be told, I'm not sure it matters. Either way, it's is a spellbinding listen, perfect for early morning smoke sessions or aimless midnight drives. As for the Pleasure Point, it will be interesting to see how the project develops and evolves in 2018. There is the new record to look forward to, of course, and a couple of release shows, but look beyond that and things get a little cryptic, not unlike their music. "we plan to perform!" Lake exclaims over email about the trio's future plans. "we plan to make u shake ur butts! we hope to help u escape ur bubble and think critically about messaging and perception. are we losing that ability or is it still able to be saved? we don't have very many answers but we gots lots of questions! just like u!"" -Immersive Atlanta

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Saturday Night

"A great power-pop song has one foot in happy-go-lucky hooks and another stomping a triumphant riff. That's a space occupied by The Toms' pop ballast, Shoes' handsome two-day scruff and Buzzcocks' sunniest kiss-offs. Spend just two minutes with Saturday Night's "Curse or Blessing," and it's immediately clear these 20-somethings live in power-pop's in-between, where the sugar is just as important as the grit.

Featuring members of D.C.'s punk and indie-rock scenes, Saturday Night jams spring-loaded riffs into jangly rhythms. "Curse or Blessing" features a sweet-and-sour call-and-response between Nora Button (keys) and Cash Langdon (guitar) with Langdon's sharp guitar work and a crisp rhythm section (drummer Jesse Sattler and bassist Luke Reddick). It's a dynamic offering from the power-pop band's self-titled debut, and, well, pretty much perfect for a party on a Saturday night." -NPR