NYC-based artist Scotch Mist has released yet another installation of their Crybaby sonic universe. A compilation of unreleased songs from the band's 2021 project and once again dedicated to the lead singer's late girlfriend, Crybaby B-Sides sample the most gentle of psychedelic rock with an ocean of wallowing feelings.
The EP's opening track, "Breathe Underwater," brings a dichotomy between nonchalance and agony with its groovy psych-rock arrangement and soul-aching lyrics. Its swing-dance, rooftop-bar-at-midnight aesthetic and atmospheric layering of bass, key and luring synth set a perfect undertone for the EP: melancholic at its core, but it's a smooth-sail to a certain somewhere.
A slight change of pace, "All The Time" feels a lot more deliberate with its surf rock elements and ballad writing. Containing a metallic and ascending musical palette, with a surprise voice memo at the end that ultimately transpires the same sense of hopefulness, "All The Time" almost bears a touch of similarity to The Beach Boys.
Nothing describes the track, "Lost At Sea," better than its title. A shoegaze tempo with just the right touch of chaos, it transitions perfectly into the love-drenched "Static." Lead singer Ed Zighelboim's vocal feels bare, vulnerable and delicate. The almost acoustic track explodes into a galactic outro of mesmerizing synth, before the EP closes with the unfinished promise that is "Hold On."
Though is has been deemed as a B-side project, Crybaby B-Sides almost feels like a standalone installation. Scotch Mist realizes the feeling of grief and devotion through experimentations with psychedelic, surf and modern rock, ballad and various 2000s alternative genres. Released on Zighelboim's late girlfriend Lydia Touchton's birthday, there's no doubt that the band will return and perfect the sonic universe again in the future.
The band, composed of Zighelboim, Gianluca Girard and Fern Souza, is currently finishing their next album which will be releasing in 2023.
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