Casual Hex is a three-piece band formed in the PNW in 2015 by Erica Miller, Jessie Odell, and Nick Anderson. Rooted in post-punk, no-wave, and noise rock, their sound thrives on the tension between heaviness and minimalism, catchiness and dissonance.

While difficult to define a direct influence, traces of Pylon, Unwound, A Frames, and early Sonic Youth come through in their dissonant, catchy style. Jessie’s driving bass lines lay the foundation as Erica’s commanding vocals cut through with sharp, narrative intensity. The lyrical content is heady and cryptic, encouraging the listener to question human behavior and inspire positive change.

Their latest release features Anthony Beauchemin on drums, while Keegan Wiltshire joins them for their live performances.

“With mellow tunes and sweet-sounding vocals - Mediocre Cafe has come around to prove that you can make “easy listening” music (no pun intended), but sprinkle meaningful lyrics to add more substance. Mediocre Cafe is a project created by songwriter Cooper Coffroth…” based in Sacramento, CA.

• Bundle includes the tape and tote bag

Despite posing as a Seattle-based music ensemble, the true origins and motives of So Pitted remain a mystery. Eyewitness accounts and blurry cellphone footage sightings of the band have rapidly increased, putting relevant agencies on high alert. Further documentation of their activities appears in the sophomore album release CLONED, distributed by the underground faction Youth Riot Records on March 8, 2024.

Until this recent warning, some assumed the threat of So Pitted had subsided. Meanwhile, the group toiled in darkness summoning sonic aberrations with the supervision of Tad Doyle, a noted paranormal expert and musician. What emerged are 12 transmissions of post-nuclear visions,  mutant transformations, and existential terror. Unidentified inside sources claim singer Nathan Rodriguez astrally projects into parallel realities to steal unreleased material from other musicians, leaving hints of their origins in song titles. One musicologist exposed to leaked copies of the recording disappeared and has not yet been located.

Thrill-seekers and academics alike have tracked their movements across the country reporting unexplainable phenomena like floating lights, subliminal influence, and what one researcher described as “musical abduction”, emerging from a trance-like state with no sense of time or place. Many attendees observed a member known as Ziam has been seen to either shapeshift or phase in and out of space. Others claim that no such person exists and that one or all band members may be hallucinatory projections. Authorities caution civilians to remain vigilant in monitoring the activities of So Pitted to ensure the safety and security of the public.

Winsome doesn’t try to flaunt their mastery of their craft, it’s not in their nature. But on “Late To The Moon,” the Sacramento 3-piece’s third release in two years, their songwriting comes across as gasconade. What stands out to new and veteran fans alike is Winsome’s command of the cauldron of enchanted arrangements that betray the oft-feared shallowness of a 3-piece.

• Pressed on purple cassettes