After one listen to the debut album by the one-man band
3108, it's easy to see why Bill and Lisa at Trouble in Mind were blown away when they received a demo in the mail and why they decided the label just had to release something as soon as possible. Tyler Zypreksa writes very, very catchy songs and records them so simply and brightly that each one bursts out of the speakers like an in-your-dreams hit single. Taking inspiration from a wide variety of sources, yet managing to sound completely original at the same time, 3108 is brilliant future pop that feels like a greatest-hits album. Maybe that's because he records a lot of songs and cherry-picked the best of them for his debut, but it really doesn't matter where they came from. Whether it's the easy-driving instrumental "Shooting Chickens" that kicks the record off with a giant melodic hook, the frenzied rocker "Ease Up" that ends the album with a burst of fuzzy energy, the
Suicide doing the theme song for a John Hughes movie of "Go to Hell," or the echoing space doo wop of "Don't Start," Zypreksa shows he can spin gold out of any material. Add in some very '80s-influenced synth pop ("The Hunger"), a bit of hazy, slow-grooving drug rock ("Wildlife"), shimmering indie pop that calls to mind unsung heroes
the Wake ("The Seasons"), and the super-cute, super-bouncy "Neon Crush," and it's clear that Zypreksa arrived to the party fully in control of his sound and approach. The way he mixes jagged guitars, cleverly programmed drums, and alternately wobbly and clear-as-a-bell synths is the work of a lo-fi master, and his urgently intimate vocals are the cherry on top of the shiny, happy sundae of sound. His confidence and skills shine through in every note on 3108, and it's both an immediately satisfying record and one that holds great promise for any future endeavors he undertakes. Even if he never records another note, the thrilling homemade pop of 3108 will still be out there to discover and fall in love with. ~ Tim Sendra