Friends Of Friends is your friend indeed

Between the debut album from Shlohmo and Been Meaning to Tell You from Exponential Records boss Ernest Gonzales, what started off as a cute idea for an EP series has blossomed into a noteworthy independent label. Friends Of Friends Music is on the rise, and if they keep finding eclectic electronic oddities like this album, they’re going to land on the moon by 2027. Gonzales’s sophomore album, Been Meaning to Tell You splices choice post-punk and neo-psychedelic riffs with uplifting synth melodies and flavorful drum machine programming, supported by moments of beat-box rhythms and New Wave homage. It lands somewhere between Yppah, Spiritualized, Faunts, and Daedelus (most of whom contribute remixes to the record). “Emerald Nova” is particularly striking, with a circular 8-bit melody and traces of glitch, which seem to pick up speed and instrumentation with every rotation. Ernest must have a dynamic relationship with his wife (to whom this record was dedicated). Granted, Been Meaning to Tell You is not exactly a musical revolution wrapped in a hoodie, but it is a solid step toward legitimacy for the label and is worthy of recognition for Gonzales’ hard work.