Friend Roulette is often referred to as a "chamber-pop" outfit, but that designation comes up short when you consider the level of unabashed experimentation that goes into the Brooklyn-based group's music. The band's new EP, Grow Younger, out on Goodnight Records, features the sort of artful-but-outré prog-pop arrangements that might make Bjork jealous, yet the music is rooted in a decidedly DIY attitude. On songs like "Just Woke Up (Fucked Up)," damaged synth lines clash beautifully with swirling strings and brash bass clarinet; the group's "two to four drummers" provide a meaty backdrop. Vocalist Julia Tepper boasts some sneakily powerful pipes and an enviable ear for melody, as evidenced on tunes like the single-worthy "I Guess."
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