Aster: Some Things Seldom Heard Of

Aster’s hazy dream pop sits somewhere in between the lush sounds of Stars and the more defined hues of Deerhunter (or, more specifically, Bradford Cox’s most recent effort from Atlas Sound). What this Austin duo offers is something vaguely familiar and, some might even say, derivative. This is unfortunate. There are so many bands trafficking in this type of nonsense nowadays that it has become hard for them to distinguish themselves from one another. Opener “Run Away from the Suits” stretches out to over six-and-a-half minutes without becoming repetitive. “Attempting to Multiply” attempts to be upbeat while remaining nonchalant and shoegazy. The vocals of Bryan Ellis are far from distinctive as they percolate below the surface on each track. There are some admirable aspects to Some Things Seldom Heard Of, it’s just that there are a multitude of bands making beautiful examples of bedroom pop and dreamy soundscapes — Aster is not one of them.