Bandcamp Artist of the Week: 2 Hearts and Chemicals

This Bandcamp has been a long time coming. I’ve been listening to and loving 2 Hearts and Chemicals stunning debut EP Coming Home for months now. I’ve wanted to share it here @ SYFFAL but Joel and Tim have been dominating this column with their own stellar selections. I patiently waited by the way side with this sonic bomb waiting to change their lives and yours. I had a tough time holding it to myself all this time. Instead I teased it on Track Marks and shared the bandcamp link with as many friends who’d listen. Now it is SYFFAL’s turn.

Describing 2H&C (that’s what the cool kids call them) as electronic mixed with shoegaze and dreampop is an insult to both the band and those genres. I think a new genre name is needed to classify this music. I’m just spit balling here but how about dreamgaze? Is that taken already? Fuck it let me just tell you how I feel instead of coming up with some fake ass pitchforkian lexicon that will lose its meaning by the time I’m done typing this sentence.

This is how I feel: I fucking LOVE THIS EP! (YES All of the caps are very much warranted)

Those of you who know me know I’m not one for exaggeration or fits of hyperbole so believe me when I tell you this will be the best thing you hear all week. I first ask that you put on some Bose headphones or Beats by Dre (or Soul by Ludacris if you’re a sucker) to truly appreciate what 2 Hearts and Chemicals are putting forth. It is big, expansive, cinematic, and dare I say it, life changing. Fuck it I’m going to get all hyerbolistic and I love it. Let me paint a chin strap on and call myself Joel because I want to strip naked and dance one thousand dances to the beauty that is pouring out of my Dell and into my ears. As I’m typing this I’ve unplugged my laptop from its charger and ventured outside to the shining Venice sun. 2 Hearts is driving my mind, body, and soul to walk through the streets at a point in my self destructive weekend where all my body wants to do is shut down from a hangover that feels like the early warning stages of some sort of alcohol toxic shock. No amount of Jamba Juice or water can fix what is wrong with me…but 2 Hearts and Chemicals can. With eyes closed, and the above mentioned headphones, the lush music of 2 Hearts spirits the mind away to a floating inner space that heals all wounds.

This is music that makes you want to close your eyes. Forever.

I can’t think of a better compliment to an artist. Can you? Trying to mute out a sense to focus on another sense is the truest form of flattery. I want to drive to the nearest school for the blind and pull a Lloyd Dobler and blast Coming Home from a boom box for all to hear.

Lucky bastards.

Sadly if you’re reading this that means you’re one of the unlucky ones with interfering sight. I can’t mute your vision but as a consolation I can let you know that 2 Hearts and Chemicals are playing TWO LA shows this week, which means two chances to immerse yourself in a live environment, eyes closed.

2/1 @ The Satellite (with fellow swoon worthy SYFFAL bandcamper LA Girlfriend and Act As IF)

2/2 @ The Airliner