Luis Vasquez turns his Bay Area-based Soft Moon project from rickety, guitar-driven post-punk to an even bleaker realm of zombified synth and grim percussion. In line with the “-wave” suffixes that circulated the Euro underground circa 1979, Deeper – his third LP – plunges into his most self-assured head space yet. Vasquez never beat around the bush, but it’s particularly audacious to pen an album full of abject darkness and still be willing to hit the nail on the head with song titles including “Black,” “Wasting,” “Wrong,” and “Try.” Deeper is a dreary journey, but it’s not exactly anti-social either. Hooks buoy the desolation, “Far” reaching a double-time, dance-floor chug, and “Being” glimmering early Cure. (Fri., 11pm, Elevation Amphitheater)

***.5

This article appears in May 8 • 2015.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US