Early Internet is the moniker for Seattle-based indie / dream pop artist Dean Stafford. The band's unique style has landed them praises from KEXP, who coined the songs on their debut album You're Just In Time To Miss Everything as "a sharp set of nostalgic, melancholic, dream pop". Now, in 2024, the band has released their follow up Ruminator, co-produced by Devon Corey (Caroline Loveglow) and mastered by John Greenham (Billie Eilish, Bo Burnham).
There's something about an album that's short and to the point - scratching the perfect itches throughout it's sonic journey, and Ruminator by Early Internet captures that exact essence. In this case, charging in at just eight songs that beautifully encapsulate feelings of longing, anxiety, and heartbreak, the record ends after only 25 minutes of sonic bliss. A world in which hazy guitars beautifully marry the calming vocals of Dean Stafford, creating a timeless indie rock masterpiece.
Before the album's release, the band offered us a few singles along the way to give us a proper teaser. Some of which include title track "Ruminator", which highlight the ways in which the human brain can be a sinister place, one devoid of acceptance and forgiveness for past mistakes. It's Stafford's delivery that counteracts these feelings, creating a cathartic bed of noise that proves to be holocene, yet flavorful and unique enough to linger.
This one's great for fans of Day Wave, Hazel English, or Death Cab for Cutie. Take a listen to Ruminator for yourself to see what all the hype is about!
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