Teen Daze & Others Played Glasslands

By Joe Housel As the sun faded across Manhattan skyline, I knew something special was waiting in that magical land of Brooklyn where the jeans fit tight and the mustaches know no bounds. I came ready for a relaxed Sunday night show filled with melodic beats and uptight Brooklynites too cool to dance but something else was in the air. After a whirlwind of Rolling Rock tallboys and warm whiskey shots to boot, I stumbled home in the rain with a freshly broken phone and two questions. Where did this intense live performance from Teen Daze come from and what has he done to my understanding of chillwave?

Glasslands Gallery has to be one of my favorite venues in the city. Right off the Bedford L stop by the river, it combines the feel of an intimate, back alley warehouse with just enough modern amenities to not scare off your sheltered friends. We arrived in the middle of Monster Rally’s set as he was busy performing his modern take on elevator music. We were busy getting settled so I wasn't able to generate much of a feel for him as a musician or performer. After he thanked the crowd as prepared his “final song” on upwards of five separate occasions, it was time to move onto Brothertiger.

John Jagos, (aka Brothertiger) is another one-man show dishing out all the chillwave and synthpop you desire with that distinct Midwestern flair (what?). Hailing from The Ohio State University, he was quick to inform the crowd that once he wrapped up his set, he had to haul ass back west in order to make class tomorrow morning. If that isn’t dedication to your craft, I don’t know what is. His sounds ranged from sonic beats that recalled dolphins chattering on a ocean breeze to surprisingly Depeche Mode influenced tracks if only they had just polished off an ounce of the finest, blue, New Mexican amphetamines. I couldn’t help but come away impressed with Brothertiger and recommend checking out his Vision Tunnels EP available for only $2.50 on Bandcamp (here).

I don’t pretend to know anything about Teen Daze and his unique outlook on the chillwave genre. His 2010 gem, Four More Years, came out last May to critical acclaim. The album invokes a strong summertime vibe of watching the sun slowly fade over a mountainous skyline and was certainly worth all its hype. Teen Daze didn't stop there and continued to churn out two more similar collections during the year with Beach Dreams and My Bedroom Floor. You'd think he'd slow down but just this past July came the Tour EP, evolving his slow melodies from the previous offerings while cranking it up a few notches. I thought I was ready to take a ride on the Xanax highway (figuratively, of course) when he hit the stage but what came next was a multicolored explosion of speed fueled looping grooves and synthesizer boards pyrotechnics dialing up his songs to 11. The crowd was enthusiastic and Jamison, the single name mastermind behind Teen Daze, brought an energy to the stage that his predecessors couldn't match. If you are dying for more, don't worry, Teen Daze just won't quit. His next EP will be out September 13 and is available for pre-order now (here).

After 3 hours of furious Sunday night musical entertainment, my experience left me pondering many things including: (1) what did I just hear? (2) where can I acquire more of these delectable sounds? (3) how much is it gonna cost me to fix my phone [Note: $90] and (4) why do they serve such warm whiskey shots at Glasslands? While I continue to wrap my mind around these topics, I can tell you one thing. Teen Daze is creating a soundtrack to your summer daydreams and never-ending night adventures.