The term "slacker"could have been coined for Brandon Ayres's brand of DIY indie-pop, but the Philadelphian is obviously not scared of hard work. Written and recorded during whatever spare time he had left between working nights as a security guard and looking after his live-in grandma (who gets a shout-out on Believe in Fear), this is a kaleidoscopic 16-track debut.
Each song is a world of its own, picking apart teenage Americana to an endearingly lo-fi backdrop of scuzzy guitars, budget synthesisers and brittle beats, with echoes of Pavement, Wavves, Future Islands and John Maus among others.
There's a lot to take in, but Ayres carries the day through the strength of his songwriting and arrangements – and the sense that this is only the beginning of something special. facebook.com/brandoncantdance