Reality Club - “2112”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Death Cab For Cutie, Lawrence, The Shins

Indonesian indie rock/pop band Reality Club play an upbeat, breezy form on 2019 sophomore record What Do You Really Know?, filling every corner of their sound with a mix of garage pop, chamber rock, and some chillwave coolness. Raw-voiced ballads (“A Sorrowful Reunion”, “Alexandra”) balance the band’s moody/sunny-mixed tracks that comprise most of the album, either way performed with intention and adding some nice production flourishes like the spoken voice accommodating highlight track “2112”. Look out for Reality Club’s nice use of guy/girl vocals, either trading or in harmony to continue sharing depth with their accessible, yet ambitious, sound. (Kevin McStravick)