- Words Nicholas Douglas
Indie surf rockers Archer Oh release their second album, ‘Gradients’, an explosive introduction to the sound they’ve developed so far.
Archer Oh, the four-piece garage band from Moreno Valley, have been making noise across the US with their catchy productions and passionate performances. Like many of their Californian contemporaries, the slacker guitar grooves and howling vocals they advocate feel radiant but offer a tone of sincerity too. ‘Gradients’ is their first full-length album. Released last week, the vehemently delivered tracks are perfect for hazy summer evenings and offer some much-needed escapism from Britain’s comparably dreary wintertime.
Throughout their career, Archer OH have played many bucket-list-worthy support gigs, including two US tours alongside The Red Pears. Upholding an unprecedented ability to be themselves, the band’s loveable spirit has seen them develop a cult-like following who feed off their visceral live performances. They are currently embarking on the ‘Gradients’ tour, which has one date left in Oakland, California.
‘Gradients’ has been in the works since 2016. Analysing the cycle of grief, each song sonically explores different stages of the process. Lead single “Easy Eyes” has accumulated millions of streams; its catchy, garage-y rhythms and surfer guitar riffs helping them to stand out from California’s bustling scene. The album was recorded in a barn over a sleepless weekend retreat, and after an extensive tour in April, the band returned to work to finally complete the mixing and mastering. Fans of ‘The Gold One’ EP will be happy to know that many of their psychedelic tendencies still weave through ‘Gradients’. It’s clear that Archer Oh’s style can’t be matched by others, and with two albums under their belts, the world is theirs to conquer.