Groundislava Releases TV Dream EP On FoF

Photo by Barney Patterson

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now, we love ❤ Friends of Friends. Shlohmo, Salva, Tomas Barfod and Ernest Gonzales are some of our favorite artists and the Pop Massacre mixtapes are out of this world fiya. It’s not surprise then that their latest release, Groundislava’s TV Dream EP, is another exhibition in excellence. Eschewing much of his previous sound, largely made up of 8-bit sounds and boom bap beats, the Los Angeles-native instead embarks on a revisionist take on 80’s synth pop. TV Dream is comfortable in the realm of Summer music, while still managing to maintain enough credibility to ensure year round airtime. At only 15 minutes long, it’s a quick listen, but is quite satisfying despite its brevity. Nostalgic synths are Groundislava’s go to and he milks them to the fullest. The title track, featuring vocalist Clive Tanaka, is the clear standout and invokes the M83 sound circa 2005. It’s soaring, pensive and cinematic. The rest of the EP fails to keep up at times, falling into cliché one too many times, but it’s not like Groundislava is pretending to embark on a brand new trail. The EP will only knock you back $5 and if you’re going to pay for music, why not give your dollars to FoF. Stream and/or buy via Bandcamp below.