Small Black

Often—and rightfully so—lumped in with the totally stoned Chillwave crew, Small Black is, as of late, trying to buck that trend. By going from a synth duo to a full-on rock quartet, the group is trying to flesh out their sound and, arguably, be a better live act. Of course, that’s all relative. The band’s latest record, New Chain, isn’t the most massive departure from their previous material, and it’s definitely still on the chillest of waves. Tracks like “Camoflage” and “Photojournalist” are decent enough electro-pop, but they’re still not compelling enough to leave listeners feeling anything more than icy. 

Updated 11/03/2010