High. - “Painbox”

New Jersey’s High. are barely out of the gate as far as being a band, but they’re already getting noticed. Maybe that’s because lead guitarist Christian Castan and bassist Bridget Bakie have been honing their craft for years as key parts of goth-punk quintet Whiner, one of the tri-state area’s most exciting underground acts. Maybe it’s something else. Whatever it is, High. is stepping out as a fully realized, tight sounding band without any of the growing pains that come with starting out. “Painbox,” their second ever single, is further proof of that, as they display even more maturity. They’ve found their sound and are wasting no time excelling.

In a way that’s reminiscent of American shoegaze standard bearers like Swirlies and Drop Nineteens, High. creates a woozy atmosphere that moves at a calculated pace and is saturated with ornate guitar playing.  The song moves at a perfect slowcore pace, allowing High. to make “Painbox'' feel colossal and almost somnambulant - kinda like you’re trudging through a post-nap stupor on a Sunday afternoon. After all, Castan does mutter “on a Sunday afternoon” in the first chorus, right before the song ascends into a cacophonic, free wheeling guitar-led explosion. It’s delectable. 

Stream “Painbox” below!

You can also purchase “Painbox” via Bandcamp or listen to it on Spotify.

High. is in the midst of a short East Coast tour. You can catch them tonight in Brooklyn at Elsewhere with Razor Braids and Short Fictions. They’re at the Meatlocker in Montclair on Sunday, July 31st. Other dates are below.