Lotus Plaza

The Deerhunter family gains another member with the arrival of Lotus Plaza, the solo project of guitarist Lockett Pundt. Having spent the last few years quietly posting tracks on the band's blog, Pundt now steps out from behind the massive shadow of band-mate/best friend Bradford Cox with a debut album that reveals more of what makes Deerhunter tick. Knowing how tight Pundt and Cox are, you can hear the influence they have on each other's music, with Lotus Plaza sharing the same passion for drowning atmospheres and burying vocals as Atlas Sound. But that's where the comparisons end. Pundt is more coherent in his arrangements, as he balances his fondness for both hooks and experimentation but narrows his course for a tighter package. As leader, Pundt channels similar ghosts of music's past, touching on '50s rock, '60s pop and psychedelia, the more subdued side of post-punk and shoegaze clouds with a modern and minimalist perspective. The Floodlight Collective is swamped in 4AD levels of expansive, impermeable reverb but no matter how concentrated the production gets, his melodies always manage to break through. Unlike the extroverted world of Cox, Pundt's Lotus Plaza is a very private affair that translates as dreamlike symphonies, which add to the remarkable dynasty that Deerhunter and their offshoots are currently building.