Boyish - “Smithereens”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…Indigo De Souza, Japanese Breakfast, Soccer Mommy

Rock/pop hooks either layered in fuzz or meticulously delivered, Boyish continue to produce captivating and pointed indie rock/pop on 2021 EP We’re All Gonna Die, But Here’s My Contribution and recent follow-up single “Smithereens”. While often melancholy in tone, the NYC-based duo keep their music interesting by stretching synth rock into shoegaze, classic pop, and avant garde rock at any given moment. Their balance of airy and dense is impressive, a quality that rides through their two LPs, Carnation (2018) and Garden Spider (2020), both worth exploring to get a sense of Boyish’s far-reaching sonic palette. Boyish stretch from minimal bedroom pop to full-band explorations throughout their catalog, so look for a well-rounded set come SXSW to get a full sense of what Boyish can do. (Kevin McStravick)