Hailing from Texas, semiwestern is an indie band consisting of Ty Bohrnstedt and Daniel Gonzalez. Their creative undertaking took root in their childhood, as they crossed paths as aspiring tennis players competing in national junior tournaments around the country. They would later reunite in their 20s, sparking a musical connection that would become the foundation of semiwestern.

With influences ranging from the visionary songcraft of Grandaddy, Pinback and R. Stevie Moore, to the moodiness and melodic brilliance of Lou Reed, Elliott Smith, The Fall, Built To Spill, and Sonic Youth, semiwestern weaves a charmingly unpolished and emotive sound that is heavily informed by DIY ethos.

The album opens with “i never mean what I say” and instantly you are deeply immersed in the dreamy shoegaze aesthetic that is synonymous with semiwestern. Utilizing simplistic song structuring and composition the band still manages to create an atmospherically complex soundscape. “condo” follows and gives solid insights to elements that have been mainstay in the dream/shoegaze genre since its inception. “technique” breaks the mold ever so slightly as there is a more prominent guitar element that isn’t just a droning hum of sorts. It provides more of a depth to the track while still managing to stay very much in an audible shoegaze playground. “cienaga” follows and features even more guitarwork that has more intricacies than the previously mentioned droning or humming that is commonplace in the genre, thus only adding more of a collective complexity to the project as a whole.

“pose” sets things back on a bit of a more familiar course as the guitars have more of a dronier sound and the keys/synth come alongside beautifully to give them a collectively lush sound. “domestic cat” plays with more of the same elements but with a bit more pep and a bit of a different tone for good measure. “visitor” starts out sounding like it could easily be something by alt-rock titan Manchester Orchestra, but subtly slides back in to the slower groove within the gaze aesthetic.

“in a field” begins with a simplistic strum of the guitar that isn’t uncommon at this point, but still manages to standout as it relies more on this than the overall droning sounds that have accompanied similar elements on earlier tracks. The tracks stands out and has a more ethereal sound as there is no drums present on it at all. it is a distinct contrast to the rest of the album, but also a highlight as it shows some of the diversity the band is capable of. The album culminates with “zero for conduct” and “zero for conduct, pt. 2” which are distinctly separate tracks while still being one long form track as well. They each carry their distinctiveness in their overall composure and delivery with a clear “cut” between the two. Having a part 2 is an interesting naming practice as it feels mostly unnecessary. However, if you take the two tracks and dissect them apart from one another you wouldn’t even be able to really tell that they have any underlying connection other than their album placement.

Ultimately, semiwestern is a remarkable debut from a band that seems to have already honed their craft well beyond their collective tenure. It is full of lush sounds amidst a somewhat unpolished production that gives it just enough creative flair to stand out more than it already does.

semiwestern is out now on Spirit Goth Records and is available on all major streaming and digital platforms or you can purchase directly from the band via Bandcamp.

You can connect with semiwestern on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X).