Chicago’s Oshwa has consistently defied expectations during its short existence. Over the course of several self-released digital EPs the group has carved a place for itself by taking jazz inspirations, attaching them to an indie-rock backbone, and tying it all together with melodic trappings. The band’s first full-length, Chamomile Crush, is due out Aug. 8 on Naked Ally Records, and The A.V. Club has an exclusive stream of the album track “Baraboo.”
Where Oshwa’s prior releases saw the band toying with conventions, “Baraboo” sees the band work out the kinks and find its identity. The interplay between vocalists Alicia Walter and Michael Mac locks in early, as they dance delicately atop the tightly-wound instrumentation, never losing sight of where they’re heading. The song careens between passages quickly, forgoing a traditional structure but finding ways to resound like a pop anthem all the same.