Valentine by Tongue Relaxer

For fans of Jane Remover, Blemishes, Willy Rodriguez, the current wave of alternative Americana, and the use of conventional aesthetics to shatter cultural conventions, Valentine by Tongue Relaxer presents internet noise with a country twang, bringing a sharp emotional punch to an aesthetic which we typically associate with escapism. The juxtaposition between piercingly direct lyricism typical of the Internet scene and that aforementioned country twang sets this record apart, giving us a stark reminder of the reality on the ground for most people as the country establishment continues to peddle empty ideology. Aside from that twang, the rest of this record follows the conventions of that recently-formed Internet sound, with clear influences from shoegaze guitar, emo vocals, and lo-fi production. As we emerge into those heights of distorted noise, we reach the peaks of unaddressed mental health catastrophe, the exact point of systemic collapse at which the culture industry typically steps in and convinces us that what we’re experiencing isn’t in some way real. However here, we live in those thoughts, comforting one another as disaster continues to strike.