It’s the start of another new year and yet again I begin it procrastinating. Well, not so much because I haven’t gone out of my way to do things but because I’m waiting on other things to happen. So does that really define me as a procrastinator? This year though seems to look bright as new projects arise for us here at the Ghettoblaster camp as well as for others throughout the year which I’m excited about.

This year begins with BYSTS (which I assume is pronounced “bists”), the Salt Lake City duo shares its new 3-song EP today, Dreamland. A mere 3 songs, which was only available on vinyl last year, isn’t much to whet one’s appetite, for most, but here, BYSTS seems relentless and hell bent on giving every ounce of their being wrapped up in these numbers. The band, made up of multi-instrumentalists Stephanie Marlow and Bryan Holbrook, rage with fiery precision. If anyone believed the earliest incarnation of the Jesus & Mary Chain was destructively noisy, they haven’t heard anything. BYSTS wraps the track in blissful dissonance with a wall of guitar washes and a distorted bass driving the song. Me? Fuck the JAMC! This right here is that next level shit that’s taken decades to perfect. And BYSTS has it down right.

BYSTS changes things up a bit on the title track, with the same distorted bass line leading the way with an underlying groove as the syncopated drum beat is there to lend a helping hand. Holbrook’s vocals add more of a presence here that are followed by washes of guitar that don’t dominate the track, instead, seems to be used to add to the dynamics. There can be no doubt to the duo’s prowess and ability to knowingly give listeners a look right into what they’re capable of accomplishing with two musicians and just a few tracks. It’s cool, it’s catchy, it’s noisy, it’s what we all need. As they round things out with “You Get What You Give,” more wall of guitar and white noise filtered around Holbrook’s vocals, we get that they’re blowing away everything in their path, without hesitation.

There’s obviously a method to the BYSTS madness here and it’s intriguing. Dreamland should hold the door open to a full-length of cacophonic beauty. We can only hope it comes soon. Very soon.