Sinderlyn Records Thanksgiveaway: Win LPs by Walter TV, Girl Tears, & Homeshake

Earlier this year, Mike Sniper — owner/founder of independent Brooklyn label, Captured Tracks — announced the launch of the Omnian Music group in an effort to maintain the labels consistent, organic growth while minimizing any potential burden that could be generated by the additional acts and projects that they desired to take on.  Modeled after the Beggars Group  — comprised of labels 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, and XL Recordings — the Omnian banner encompasses Captured Tracks imprints, Body Double LTD  (focusing on “obscure rereleases”) and Fantasty Memory (“lost” music and more bizarre reissues); and includes their partnership with Flying Nun Records (The Clean, Tall Dwarves, The Verlaines, etc) reissuing the catalog of the legendary New Zealand label; as well as additional partnerships with smaller pre-existing outside labels like Couple Skate out of Seattle and New York boutique label, Squirrel Thing.  Omnian has also been releasing reissues in audio cassette format under the label of Manufactured Recordings.  And while they were expanding operations (along with the space of the Captured Tracks retail shop in Greenpoint), hiring new staff, restructuring and unifying their endeavors, and relocating to a larger facility in Bushwick, Sniper and company, apparently, also figured that it was the perfect time to create a brand new sister label set on fostering new talent and pushing out fresh new material.

The fledgling, Sinderlyn Records only began physically putting out material this September, but their first 3 releases have already displayed incredible promise, both for the future of the label and for the acts themselves.  In fact, as the first “new” label created specifically for the music group, it demonstrates great potential for Omnian as a whole, regarding its ability to diversify and expand the brand at large, moving forward.  I’ve read that among the intentions for Sinderlyn is to provide more 7″ and EP releases than Capture Tracks, but also with more variations within the catalog.  Basically, the rules are that there really aren’t any, or rather, “the mantra of Sinderlyn is that there is no mantra.”

We’ve never really subscribed to the annual ritual of making “best of the year” lists, mostly because they always seemed like a load of shit to me — I’ve just never been able to find the value in rating art by assigning it specific number values, and then ordering it from “best to last.”  Among the biggest flaws with that mentality is that a “winner,” in effect, is chosen, while so much material slips through the cracks and is never even factored in.  Another issue is that the necessary time isn’t always available for a critic to fully absorb the nuances of a work and allow it to unfold and present itself fully, over time, often prompting “tastemakers” to become somewhat arbitrary with their selections, to a degree [“should I strike this from the list, all together, or actually place it higher, based on how I believe I might feel about it later?“].  The clear benefit of those lists, on the other hand, is that they really can possess the ability to provide a platform for certain releases to be discovered by people who might otherwise never be exposed to them.  Among the acts that released albums this year which we feel deserve to be heard, yet have the potential to slip past the radar of a number of the outlets creating such lists, are Walter TV, Girl Tears, and Homeshake — in other words, the artists that make up the Synderlin roster.  No list necessary: these are simply some releases that we are really enjoying right now from a refreshing new label that’s managing to surprise us by presenting some genuine depth and variety within its ranks, all within a relatively short period of time.  Now, thanks to the top notch folks over at the Omnian Music Group, we’re going to be giving away a vinyl copy of each one of the 3 releases that the Sinderlyn catalog consists of, at this point, so that a few of you jokers at home can enjoy them for yourselves.

The Sinderlyn Records “Thanksgiveaway” will begin this Monday, November 24th, and continue through Wednesday the 26th, with a different album being given away each day, in the chronological order that they were released, via a different one of our social media outlets.  Specific details regarding the albums that you could win are listed below, along with the corresponding dates and outlets (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram) that they will be given away through each day.  So… make sure to stay in the loop by following and/or liking our accounts and, of course, stay connected to Sinderlyn.

Good luck

Monday, November 24th via Facebook

WALTER TV – Appetite LP

Hailing from Vancouver, Walter TV was originally composed of Joseph McMurray, Pierce McGarry, and Simon Ankenman. In 2011, after a recording session with Karl Blau in Anacortes, WA, the trio dispersed. McMurray and McGarry moved to Montreal, while Ankenman went his separate way to pursue an “outdoors-inspired” lifestyle. In Montreal, McGarry and McCurray moved into an apartment with Mac DeMarco and a rotating cast of friends. It was there, in their small apartment, that they recorded their cult breakthrough album, Appetite.

Upon his signing to Captured Tracks, DeMarco recruited McGarry and McMurray for his touring band and Walter TV was put on hold. However, despite their shift in priorities, the duo continued to develop the music of Walter TV in any spare time they had. The creative process of Walter TV is free form and organic, with each member’s input equally valuable as the others. The result of this artistic autonomy is a unique sound built upon frenetic percussion, warbling vocals, abstract guitar, and a resonant bass line. Appetite has been re-released on Sinderlyn, fully remastered by Josh Bonati, thus reintroducing Walter TV into the world and serving as a precursor of what’s to come in 2015.

Tuesday, November 25th via Twitter

Girl Tears – Tension LP

True to the spirit of punk, LA trio Girl Tears breathe life back into the genre of the one-minute song. Armed with a voice after David Johansen’s own heart, Kam Andresen’s vocals harmonize seamlessly with razor-sharp guitar riffs on signature blink-and-you’ll-miss-it length tracks. Formed in 2013, Kam Andresen, Tristan Ellis and Sal Gabriel started writing under the moniker Girl Tears. Clearly influenced by the punk movement of the late 70s and 80s, Girl Tears reject the dream-pop/modern iterations of influential punk bands, sticking wholly to the original sound of the time. Their sound is frenzied and gritty, verging just on the cusp of catchiness. “Kill For Love” is a stand out, and solid in its construction. Guttural and uncomplicated, you have to pay close attention to realize it’s actually a love song. Well executed and compact, the boys of Girl Tears are quickly establishing themselves as masters of their genre.

Wednesday, November 26th via Instagram

HOMESHAKE – In The Shower LP

HOMESHAKE is the latest pseudonym and solo project of Edmonton-born, Montreal-based Peter Sagar. Having previously recorded with Mac DeMarco and Sheer Agony’s Jackson MacIntosh, Homeshake returns with In the Shower, his debut release on Sinderlyn.

Having won a Junior Jazz Artist of the Year award for his drumming in high school, Peter often pulls influences of R&B/soul into his own work. Peter’s debut album, The Homeshake Tapes, featured an eclectic mix of homemade tracks with blunt guitar licks and Dragon Ball Z samples, all with a Northeastern-grunge meets lo-fi soul feel.

Musically, Peter also has long been influenced by the icy landscapes of his home in Canada. Smooth, cool and relaxed, In the Shower soothes the listener with its smooth bass lines and groovy, jazz undertones. The album was recorded in the Winter of 2014 at the Drones Club in Montreal with the help from friend and confidant Mike Wright.

In the Shower was released on October 7th via Sinderlyn. All cover artwork for this new Homeshake release was born at the hand of Peter’s better half, Salina Ladha.