Indie pop used to be so much scrappier: full of guitar fuzz, played by musicians whose passion generally superseded their skill. It was punk for people who couldn't wear studs, down to the amateurish art, deeply direct lyrics, and underground cassette trading networks-a scene where the north stars were early Rough Trade 7"s and the Television Personalities instead of, say, Fleetwood Mac.
Just one listen to "Ctrl-F Discipline" by the San Francisco experimental electronic duo Late Aster-composed of Anni Hochhalter and Aaron Messing-and you'll be hooked. The song name is a hat-tip to the magical qualities of the DIY-friendly recording device from the late '90s, the TASCAM Portastudio 414 MKII. It delivers lo-fi resonance characterized by an omnipresent buzz, creating this charming warm hiss that's hard not to like.