#25 - Ryan & Steve

Wet Hair

Dream

2009

Wet Hair is the duo of Shawn Reed and Ryan Garbes, both former members of Iowa City's psych/freak-out Raccoo-oo-oon. After a number of tapes and a one-sided 12" on Reed's Night People imprint, this psy-trance-punk duo unleash their dystopic vision out into the world with "Dream". Backed by some dark, lo-fi drum machine the songs drift and float with spaced-out synth lines and repetitive melodic motifs splattered atop. The divisive moments here are the tortured, garbled vocal coughs Reed lays waste to on top of these tunes. The vocals in particular can be alienating, but the ritualistic groove here is enchanting.

Taking from krautrock synth grooves, Suicide-style drum machines and the industrial punk grit, "Dream" is a guttural blast of Midwestern creative energy. These guys are at the forefront of a minor musical movement and it's a joy to watch them progress and thrash across these tunes. While I don't think a sound like this will ever find much of an audience, there is a bleak creative energy emanating outta of these guys that's just thrilling to witness. -S.R.

From its opening track, this music kidnaps you. It does whatever it wants to you, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it (besides turn it off I suppose). Personally, I’ve never been so happy to be victimized in my life. This band has no cares, no worries, and no restraints. They do their thing and it’s spectacular. My only frustration is that I can never be kidnapped for longer; the album is only a half an hour and by the time I feel completely immersed in it, it ends. But it’s still an experience to be cherished - Phil