When you write about music, you come across all sorts of artists. To a degree, it really doesn’t matter where they’re from, but some artists get how the industry works and some don’t. That’s not to say that those who don’t won’t get it at some place and in some time, but some bands understand what goes into making music their profession. In over five years in writing about music, I always wanted to make a podcast that was far and away from what the typical music podcast was. Being lucky enough to have some friends with fairly popular podcasts, the one thing I kept getting told was that it has to be different. In the hopes of staying true to our readers here and to myself, I decided that independent music was where this should reside. We write about a lot of independent music here, but to take it a step further, it seemed like the right time to give truly independent artists a voice. A chance to discuss whatever about their music that was released without the aid of a label, which is how we came up with Self-Released Songs. Our debut guests were members of Texas’ El Lago.

What I liked about El Lago is that they seemed to understand what it takes to make music more than just a hobby. The ability to tour, to get photos made and making great relationships were things they’d already had in the works before they got on my radar. The band’s mixture of well crafted tones and the hues that come from mystifying music was just a small part of what I liked about them. Their live shows found the balance between intimate house shows and full throttled festival appearance.

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The band’s debut full length Colors is a swaying glimpse into a pedal soaked world where shoegaze meets indie rock. The songs have this arresting aesthetic that hooks you in and doesn’t let go. In a time where bands are searching for that swell of guitar and the haze that falls underneath the bass and the drums, El Lago captured all of that with Colors. Last year they returned after festival appearances and a tour with Pyramid. What’s impressive about the EP is that it’s a glimpse into what is coming. Touching on their past while dipping their toes into a more post-punk sound, the songs have a tenebrosity to them without getting mired in sadness or gloominess. El Lago is the perfect mix between a band rising up and a truly independent artist, and we wanted to share a bit of their world with anyone who’d listen. From recording with Steve Christensen to planning a tour, the podcast covers a lot of ground in a run time.

Both Pyramid and Colors are available directly from the band here. Both are also available to stream on all streaming sites or to purchase from all digital outlets. Self-Released Songs is available to stream at the bottom of this page on mobile, or to the right on desktop. It’s also on Anchor as well as all streaming sites. You can also support the podcast directly here. El Lago is set to announce a tour of the West Coast in a couple of weeks.

Image Credits: Photo by Daniel Jackson.