Velour Academy began as a two-piece consisting of the Los Angeles musicians Jamil Kassimali (bass, guitar, pulsar synth, songwriting) and Shannon Martinez (vocals, songwriting). These days, they’ve added Matt Calderon to play drums, Itzel Palacios handles keys and backing vocals, and Justin Hall provides more guitar to add a bit more muscle to their glorious punk template.
“Pulsar” starts the listen with buzzing synth that brings us right back to the ’80s, before thumping drums enter as Shannon and Itzel trade off vocals amid the post-punk spirit. “DSPRNGGIRL” then follows with warm guitar to complement the soft vocal harmonies of the more pop-punk fueled display, and “Unetta” continues with throbbing bass in the gritty-yet-pretty climate.
“All Alone” and “Metro” exit Side A, where the former is a bit more cautious as pop ideas are appreciated, and the latter sounds right at home in the ’90s punk-lite scene with its charming melodies and dreamy nature.
The back half is equally interesting, and leads with the thick bass and cozy, textured singing of “Something About Your Eyes,” while “Macrifoam” is a bit darker in its approach, but no less enticing thanks to the crisp drums, chunky bass, well-timed keys and hypnotic singing.
Close to the end, the very quick “A Gentle Breeze” is a bit rugged but also quite sweet, and “Demons” exits the listen in a haze of gentle singing that’s introspective and even a bit mysterious.
