Abram Shook, a California native who bounced from Portland to Boston before settling here, has dug in locally since 2014, churning out a trio of albums in that time span. Nevertheless, there’s one thing Abram ain’t shook just yet: his California roots. Third album Love at Low Speed combines beach-ready pop licks with jazz and world music influences à la David Byrne. Creeping synth lines and drum snaps keep the emotive, slow-moving pace of “Lisbon” light even in its melancholy. “The Hours” and “Eventually” affirm his self-proclaimed penchant for bossa nova, but the cuts are chiefly rooted by a hazy lightness that can only be delivered by a true California dreamer. If only all of the Golden State transplants made life in Central Texas this dreamy. (Album release: Sat., June 24, Mohawk)
This article appears in June 23 • 2017.