Desolation Wilderness

'New Universe'

Songs for when the sun sinks into the ocean.

Spin Rating7 of 10

Impressionistic young auteur Nicolaas Zwart honed his band’s wistful sound while interning at the studio of K Records founder Calvin Johnson, and received credit at Evergreen State College for touring behind Desolation Wilderness’ 2008 debut. His second album delivers fleeting moments of bliss, like a beach bum’s opiate dreams. Echo and reverb subdue layers of Zwart’s unhinged guitars and keyboards as he recounts road trips down U.S. 101. The high-water mark: “San Francisco 2 a.m.,” a hazy freak-out with Deerhunter’s ambience and the Ventures’ sunny, surf-rock twang.

By William Goodman

1 Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'
2 Lana Del Rey 'Born to Die'
3 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
4 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'
5 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
6 Imperial Teen 'Feel the Sound'
7 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
8 Skrillex 'Bangarang'
9 Escort 'Escort'
10 First Aid Kit 'The Lion's Roar'

1 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
2 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
3 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
4 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
5 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
6 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
7 Escort 'Escort'
8 Escort 'Escort'
9 Escort 'Escort'
10 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'

Desolation Wilderness

'New Universe'

The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'

Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'

Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'

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