JUNK CULTURE
WILD QUIET
If the state of Oregon is anything like the song that opens Junk Culture’s debut album Wild Quiet, then it seems like a pretty happy place with a lot to see. “Oregon” is laced with alluring layers of pop brilliance, and it’s pretty much like this throughout the rest of the album. Junk Culture is actually the result of the one-man music operation of Deepak Mantena, but you wouldn’t guess that upon first listen. Wild Quiet has the sound of full-fledged live band, which is exactly the result Mantena wanted. The songs are lush and warm, inviting the listener in for what can sometimes be a heart-aching ride. Mantena does a terrific job at hiding the pain underneath a mask of effects that doesn’t fold under the weight of it all. He slices and dices his way through each song until the final product is prepared just right, and in this sense Junk Culture approaches music in the same way a master chef might approach a signature dish: with both confidence and pride in every single ingredient used. (Illegal Art) by Zach Rogers