We here at Week in Pop have long felt a romantic kinship with Young Prisms. From our San Francisco-based connection, having both shared nascent beginnings among media hubs of our familiar, boutique imprints and mutually adored aesthetes of notoriety — they have always remained a group of great importance in our Bay Area offices. And today the band of Stefanie Hodapp, Matthew Allen, Giovanni Betteo and Jordan Silbert return with the following insightful curation and their brand new album Drifter; released through the fellow DIY institution Fire Talk Records and produced by fellow vision beach breaker Shaun Durkan (Weekend, Soft Kill).

Down the twisting pathways we go, into the new spheres of experience and expansions of consciousness. Upon our arrival we watch the world transform from an out of body perspective with "Above Water", that floats then flies above the surface of electric seas that opens Drifter into the fog stream storm of a storied group returning to the consortium. "Yourside" is the track you have always desired from your ill-forgotten early 90s anti-heroes. The stadium rave standards. The live main-stagers at Leeds. All that you ever wanted it to have been, but wasn't, becomes realized in the ecstasy dripping chemical monorail mover of the track’s driving locomotion. Abandon all inhibitions at the waterside edges of Fort Mason like the visuals for the precipitation saturated vapor pop aesthetic of "Honeydew" that takes over the pavilions of psychic expressions and exposition of ethereally adorned endearments. A style that remains present in its own chosen world and time is prevalent in the warble and fuzz of "This Time", before entering into the virtually inexplicable catacomb beat tunnel of “Violet” — immersed in absolute alchemic sorcery fueled by razor guitar winding rhythm waves.

Ever since the late 80s/early 90s dream sound scenes, literally the entire universe has been trying to re-invent the chemistry of this major movement in the trajectories of ongoing art pop historiography. Perhaps few understand this sacred and cryptic code more than Young Prisms, as demonstrated on "If Ever Now" in what would have been the most majorly praised alternative charting b-side of 1991 is carefully expanded in ways where the band provides ample room for each audio component's own sonic resonance. Similarly the pluming build and rise of "Melt Away" is nothing short of astonishing, like witnessing the wax of a candle's form shaping interplay with a flickering flame’s lapping blaze burning gently on a wick. Complimented appropriately by Lands End visuals from Gio Betteo and Andrew Crighton; "Outside Air" is a musical survey on the sublime that transports the consciousness toward the edges of earth, stepping upon the rocks and ruins of what was in a sung prayer and hymn for all the hopes and wishes to manifest somewhere from the great infinite and unknown. The single "Self Luv" is an example of the Prisms channeling all their emanating instruments of light to make a classic pop track that materializes like the fiery apparitions broadcasted by entities from another realm. Distorted transit interludes buzz discreetly on the mind drifting “Months Ago”, that arrives to the plastic horse riding carousel party of “Around”. Sonically spinning into the parking lot tarmac of “Flight”, soaring serenely like a bird into the liminal skies that span somewhere between sundown and dusk. Upon reaching cruising altitude, it becomes apparent that Young Prisms’ Drifter is not only one of the year’s best works, but one well worth a decade of faithful patience.

Arts & insights of light by Young Prisms

Handmade pasta

This one probably sounds bizarre but there is something so beautiful about hand cut pasta. The emotion and passion that can go into it, its almost sensual. Its also amazing that it can be a total blank canvas, as cliché as that is, to highlight or elevate a region or culture by way of shape and sauce. So elegant. Even the brass tools to cut it or the wood pins to roll it are all so detailed.

Evan Kinori

Everything that comes out of this SF studio is next level. Attention to detail, sourcing practices, relationships and presentation. So clean and clutterless and so beautifully executed.

L'Avventura

We tend to reference this Michelangelo Antonioni film often in our last few videos and our songwriting process. Loads of depth beneath the minimal context. This film feels so oddly unresolved and mysterious without having to shove it down your throat. The textures of the rocks, the ocean waves, the hair follicles, etc. Just so much to feel and yet not having to spoon feed anyone or pre-determine how you're 'supposed to' feel or think about it.

Actual Source

Design studio/ book publisher/ apparel. This studio is a jack of all trades duo of two insanely talented makers. Generally inspiring to see a crew be able to publish books and create art while also including and highlighting others around them working to do the same. Community collaborations and uplifting your people is everything, and Actual Source seems to be all about it.

Friends Doing Cool Things

Mudwitch, Terror Dome, Jason M, Moon Collective, Andrew Crighton, Stephen Lee, Jared Silbert. Friends who work in entirely different mediums, but all doing great things with an impact on their communities.  From ceramics, to industrial design, to wellness, cinema, photography, painting, etc; it’s been pretty amazing to see what kind of impact these folks have made in SF.

Young Prisms’ long awaited album Drifter is available now via Fire Talk.