Last week Arts & Crafts announced the signing of Sunset Park, Brooklyn’s WIN WIN with the release of first single “Couch Paranoia” via Fader, an elastic and otherworldly jam wrapped in the wind of analog synths and robotic call-and-response.
Today, WIN WIN shares new track “Waster” via Exclaim!, a sun-soaked slalom run through hand-claps and buzz-saw guitar that suggests the band’s most instrumental/analog work to date. Known for its eclectic first two full-lengths – the leftfield-electro of WIN WIN (2011) and the software-mind of Double Vision (2012) – the trio of Alex Epton, Chris Devlin, and Ryan Sciaino further defies classification with this psychedelic pairing of rock and kraut-pop, what the band calls “a chromatic blueprint for a sound that’s simultaneously classic and futuristic.” The two-track digital single is available for purchase (iTunes, GalleryAC) and streaming (Rdio, Spotify) now.
A group that presents itself first as lifelong friends, second as collaborators, and third as a band, WIN WIN has built its reputation on its far-ranging work as a production collective. Epton (xxx¢hange) and Devlin first met growing up in the early 90s, beginning their musical work together in 2004, serving as producer and DJ, respectively, in Baltimore party-rap outfit Spank Rock. The pair met Sciaino, also known as DJ/video artist Ghostdad, in 2006. With the creative triangle complete, complicated mix tapes soon evolved into the first WIN WIN album. Now set up at Flavor Factory studio in Sunset Park, WIN WIN in various combinations has produced music, visuals, or live shows for Prince Rama, Porter Robinson, The Kills, Peaches, and more, with official remix credits for Thom Yorke, Björk, TV On The Radio, Kylie Minogue, and on.