My adoration for Air Waves had its beginning a couple months ago, in February. At the time, I was dating this girl named Sally. She was an alt-chick paragon (My friend, Tom, will agree to this), and this was likely the very reason she was so intriguing and attractive to me. She had a pixie cut and a few tats, lived in Bushwick, and used to work at Am Appy. Also, Sally was from the Midwest, like myself. Better yet, both her and I had an affinity for Pabst and rooftops.
I really liked her, or at least, I liked what she represented. This may seem vain, and the truth is that it most definitely is. But, despite my long-standing aversion to trust fund hipster kids, I couldn't temper my curiosity for this now-mythical creature, boosted up to god-like status by years of pseudo-stereotypes and occasional misdirected vitriol.
One Tuesday night, we met up at The Gutter for drinks and bowling. Earlier, I had learned that a newly discovered band, Air Waves, was having a record release show that night at The Glasslands in Billyburg. I had scored some $5 tics in the hopes that Sally might be interested in going later in the night. Well, as it turned out, Sally goes to bed earlier than I do (Like, before 10 pm) and doesn't exactly share my love for indie bands. Dealbreaker? Possibly. Not that my smitten self cared at the moment. See, the interesting thing is, once we parted ways that evening, I went to that Air Waves show anyway.
Perhaps she had amphetamines on her lips or maybe I was just a bit sore from the rebuked invitation attempt, but I felt energized and eager enough to add to my sleep dept and venture deep into the depths of hipster-ville without my guide. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In the end, Sally and I would last a few more dates before she came to the conclusion that I'm not all that interesting. As an overworked third-year medical student, I'd have to agree with her. Regardless, that one night remains the best I've had so far in 2011, because Air Waves gave me a refreshing dose of authenticity right when (and where) I needed it most. Also, they fucking rock!
Air Waves is essentially the solo work of Brooklyn-based musician, Nicole Schneit. She enlists the help of other musicians for her gigs, but she remains the brains and creative force behind the band. Her songs sit comfortably in the jangly shuffle of a reverb-laced guitar, accompanied by relaxed beats and almost-raspy vocals. The instrumentation is so simple that it would all be boring if not for Schneit's skill at crafting infectious melodies (Dare I say, jingles?) and evoking inescapable emotions through meticulous production technique.
It's quite unfortunate that Air Waves remains relatively obscure and unnoticed following their commendable debut, Dungeon Dots. I have no idea how the buzz machine works, but it definitely needs a tune up. Thankfully, a few other artists have recognized Schneit's exceptional talent -- Sharon Van Etten even provides vocal harmonies on "Waters."
There are very few albums that are worth playing straight through. Although I try to listen to all albums in their entirety, very few are designed so perfectly from start to finish. This is one of them. Undoubtedly, Air Waves has become the new standard in neo-surf. Enjoy!
Albums: Dungeon Dots (2010)
Tracks: Knock Out, Radio, Force Fed, Lightning, Waters
summery.
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