Listen to Words from the Woods, the new album by electronic duo Bear and Walrus

With roots in West Philly’s chiptune / 8-bit techno scene, Bear and Walrus have been intensely productive in a short period of time. Words from the Woods is the fourth full-length in two years from the Philly / Baltimore duo of Chad Clikeman and Zachary Reese, and it might just be their most sophisticated outing. “Hallows” opens the gate with a gentle ambient sway, a cascading piano and lite static loops reminiscent of Broken Spindles and The Album Leaf (Echoes fans, take note!). As the album moves onward, the beats get harder, the guitars get louder, the electronic textures more urgent. “Vapours” struts to a handclap rhythm and a buzzing synthesizer lead, while the more industrial “Mimicry” sounds like M83 having a meltdown in the corner of a nightclub – but even where there’s tension, it’s soothed away with sunbursts of piano and sampled woodwinds. Give the album a listen below; downloads can be purchased at Bandcamp.