Victims of the New Math
Victims of the New Math (Extended edition / double album)

lofi rock / lofi pop / power pop / jangle pop

The Melbourne dolewave sound, which played a crucial role in the jangle-pop genre during the pre- and post-pandemic era, appears to have been abruptly overtaken by the tumultuous, jangly lo-fi rock characteristic of the current Bay Area scene in San Francisco.

Those of us who have become deeply immersed in the lo-fi eccentricities of this aesthetic, may have discovered a new darling in the Victims of the New Math solo recording project by Thomas Young, based in Portland, Oregon as his back catalogue has significantly contributed to our understanding of the possibilities within this gloriously bastardized bedroom-pop genre.

His latest album, "Open Highway", serves as a perfect illustration of the recent journey jangle-pop has taken along the lo-fi road increasingly travelled. The opening tracks, "Orange and Purple Skies" and "Crescent Sun," enhance the lo-fi and power-pop fusion typical of Mythical Motors, featuring various no-fi intricacies and a sense of fragile obtuse. Young’s vocal delivery is both spurious and sweet, instantly recognizable, hinting at emotional depth without overwhelming it. In contrast, "Apology Implied," "We Can Talk About It," "What We Already Have," and "Golden Age" explore no-fi through a lens of 60s and 70s psychedelic pop that enables a sense of retro to be perfectly addled by modernity.

This album truly shines in the mid-album double salvo of the title track and "In The Morning." In this section, Young adheres more closely to the Paisley Shirt Records template established by artists like Tony Jay, Flowertown, Cindy, and Sad Eyed Beatniks. Young skillfully transforms incidental jangled riffs into a hissing lo-fi production, which enhances a sense of melancholy introspection.

An act that likely to justify the pressing of every follow button you can find if this album is any indication!