Like a lot of their cohorts on the slower side of the late-90s alternative spectrum, Duster didn’t seem like much in the moment. Founded in 1996, the band released two albums and a handful of singles and EPs before quietly dissolving at the turn of the millennium. With clean tones and slow-moving chord changes, the trio often echoed aspects of “slowcore” contemporaries like Low, Codine, and Red House Painters, welling up into noisy Spacemen 3 terrain at their most pronounced. Earlier this year, Stereogum called them “your favorite indie band’s favorite indie band,” citing the fervent enthusiasm of Girlpool, American Pleasure Club, Peaer, and others—including Pitchfork executive editor Mark Richardson, who recently pointed out that their records go for big bucks on Discogs.
Now 20 years since the release of their standout LP Stratosphere, it looks like the band might be gearing up for something of a comeback. Last night on Instagram, the band uploaded a series of photos from the studio with the caption, “It’s been a long time but we are recording a little bit.” Like so much of their musical appeal, the message feels appropriately low-key, but for fans of the long-defunct band, news of possible new Duster material couldn’t feel bigger. Check out the post below and revisit the band’s beloved early releases.
