High Pines

Hace algunos dias me llego un mail sobre una banda llamada High Pines, la verdad es que me gusto harto, y decidi hacer un post para mostrarles lo que tiene esta banda proveniente de NYC.

El caribeño Leo Lugo comenzó High Pines como un proyecto en solitario después de mudarse a Brooklyn (NY) en el 2007 y cuatro años mas tarde Leo conoció a Maxx-Loup, un músico experimental de Colorado que habia estado viajando por toda Europa y América del Sur estudiando de la cultura española y la música africana y este se une a la banda haciendo el papel de Guitarrista, posteriormente conoce a Felipe Torres (Bateria) y a Kisselev Andrey (Bajo) y forman High Pines.

La banda de NY, hace un par de meses lanzo su primer y gran EP llamado ”We Are Humans”. Un EP realmente bueno, en donde podemos escuchar canciones con mucha simpleza y melodía. Se puede notar una clara influencia en bandas como: The Velvet Underground, Real Estate, Tame Impala.

A continuación los dejamos con We Are Humans, el Ep de estos chicos de NY.

Enjoy! - We Are Noise [Chile]

http://theocmd.com/2012/07/09/high-pines-i-havent-seen-it-all/ - The Obsessive Compulsive Music Disorder OCMD [San Francisco]

in der karibik geboren, zog es leo lugo im jahr 2007 nach brooklyn, new york. inspiriert durch bands wie the velvet underground, can, the doors, radiohead und the verve, startete er dort sein solo-projekt high pines vor einigen jahren. aber es sollte nicht lange andauern und aus dem ein-mann-band-projekt wurde eine vierköpfige live-band, mit der vor wenigen wochen die debüt ep ‘ we are humans ‘ veröffentlicht wurde. es sind nachdenkliche, verträumte stücke, poetische edelsteine und unverwechselbare klänge die nach der breiten öffentlichkeit suchen.

das gesamte debüt findet ihr nun im untenstehenden stream und ist ohne zweifel mehr als qualifiziert, einmal von euch gehört zu werden: - OhFancy.de [Germany]

Psychedelic rock band, High Pines, graced the Lower East Side with a performance at Pianos last week. Perfroming songs from their We Are Humans EP as well as songs form their yet to be named debut full length.
I had a chance to talk to Mind Pattern Records founder and High Pines frontman Leo Lugo about the formation of High Pines, the trails that come with being a new band (especially from Brooklyn), the debut album and more.
With two more shows scheduled this month; July 28th at Trash Bar and one yet to be released date at the new Williamsburg venue, The Flat, High Pines is definetly a band you should check out.

See Full Interview at:
http://www.mauvaislangue.com/high-pines-reminds-us-we-are-humans/ - Mauvais Langue - Carlos Lacayo [NYC]

"A four-piece psychedelic pop band based in Brooklyn". Well we've been here before haven't we? Except with High Pines the story is a little different and takes in places far away from the USA's trendiest musical borough. They were initially formed as a solo project by Caribbean-born Leo Lugo, and it was a further four years before the second member Maxx Loup joined, having spent much time travelling around Europe and South America and studying African music. With Felipe Torres and Andrey Kisselev completing the line-up the quartet, and that eclectic mix of influences, readied their debut EP 'We Are Humans'. Much of the music that makes up these five songs is familiar western experimental indie fare, but less common sounds do creep in and make the band's sound just a little different from the norm.

'All Around' has a misty psych sound that has its roots in the European experimenters of the 70's as much as American flower-power, it's probably the most accessible song here but not necessarily the best. 'Internal Channel' is a brief interlude of little more than some Latin-inflicted guitar that swiftly gives way to the gently simmering 'I Haven't Seen It All' with its surprisingly bouncy chorus. More exotic sounds are subtly speckled throughout the lovely 'Lights Out' on which they play around with the rhythm a little more. The hypnotic 'I Walk With You' is the sound of Spacemen 3's mellower moments given a modern twist. This is a terrific first outing for a band with clear talent and ambition and it's fairly difficult to fault. Maybe if they could use a few more of the unconventional sounds they've absorbed they could create something even more magical.
- KevW, TheSoundOfConfusion [UK]

High Pines are a four-piece, psychedelic-pop band based in Brooklyn. Like most psychedelic groups, their songs remind me of things they probably aren’t supposed to. For instance, their track “Internal Channel” reminds me of The Princess Bride – the book and the movie. And the third track off their EP We Are Humans, “I Haven’t Seen it All” brings upon me the overwhelming urge to float lazily in my pool whilst reading Vogue and sipping on a screwdriver. The places my mind takes me. Listen below to their EP and see what it does to you. - Anna Nicole Smith [NY]

"A four-piece psychedelic pop band based in Brooklyn". Well we've been here before haven't we? Except with High Pines the story is a little different and takes in places far away from the USA's trendiest musical borough. They were initially formed as a solo project by Caribbean-born Leo Lugo, and it was a further four years before the second member Maxx Loup joined, having spent much time travelling around Europe and South America and studying African music. With Felipe Torres and Andrey Kisselev completing the line-up the quartet, and that eclectic mix of influences, readied their debut EP 'We Are Humans'. Much of the music that makes up these five songs is familiar western experimental indie fare, but less common sounds do creep in and make the band's sound just a little different from the norm.

'All Around' has a misty psych sound that has its roots in the European experimenters of the 70's as much as American flower-power, it's probably the most accessible song here but not necessarily the best. 'Internal Channel' is a brief interlude of little more than some Latin-inflicted guitar that swiftly gives way to the gently simmering 'I Haven't Seen It All' with its surprisingly bouncy chorus. More exotic sounds are subtly speckled throughout the lovely 'Lights Out' on which they play around with the rhythm a little more. The hypnotic 'I Walk With You' is the sound of Spacemen 3's mellower moments given a modern twist. This is a terrific first outing for a band with clear talent and ambition and it's fairly difficult to fault. Maybe if they could use a few more of the unconventional sounds they've absorbed they could create something even more magical. - SoundsXP [UK]

Having originally started High Pines as a one-man-band solo project, the Caribbean-born Leo Lugo has finally managed to craft the band which will produce the brand of catchy psychedelic pop that he has been striving for ever since relocating to Brooklyn in 2007. Having been joined by Max Loups, Felipe Torres and Andrey Kisselev, Lugo has brought to us a debut release with a distinctive and captivating sound.
We Are Humans is a five-track taster from a promising young outfit, and with the quartet about to embark on their first live headline shows in New York City, they are bound to attract some intrigued and expectant audiences.
Opening track, All Around, is an appropriate first impression of the band; with a wistful, dream-like quality created by jangly guitars and laid-back drumming from Torres. Bordering on a Syd Barrett-style trip of psychedelic insanity, the track shows an impressive song-writing maturity as Lugo manages to hold the entire thing together with a charming hook of a chorus and some enchanting lo-fi vocals. It is easy to let the lyrics wash over your ears in the gust of tranquillity, but to give them an extended listen is to find some poetic gems. “Give me peace that keeps me fine; Give me faith and keep me alive; There’s a reason why people follow you,” Lugo croons repeatedly throughout the EP’s first number.
With an air of the easy-to-listen-to folk rock that made The Thrills a whirlwind success in the early 00s, I Haven’t Seen It All is driven by the simplicity of Loups’ guitar line and a host of “Oooo”s from the front-man. Upon first listen, some may find High Pines’ efforts unspectacular, and perhaps even uninspiring. However, songs such as I Haven’t Seen It All will begin to embed themselves firmly after two or three listens, and once they are there, they are not easy to shake off – trust me.
Lights Out maintains the pensive, dreamy quality of this record and with the addition of two wonderfully crafted instrumental tracks (the latter of which closes the EP in a bizarre and fascinating manner), We Are Humans is complete. Five tracks, clocking in at just over fifteen minutes worth of music, you will perhaps feel is too short, but this can only be a good sign. If the foursome intended to leave us wanting more following this enticing introductory release, they have succeeded wholeheartedly. We might not quite understand High Pines just yet, but we are certain that we like what they do.
8/10
SoundRev [UK]
http://soundrevuk.com/ - SoundRev [UK]