Jazzy Austin Dream Pop Band Indoor Creature Drop Beachy & Timely New Album In ‘Living In Darkness’

A band with music that makes moms cry. A rather intriguing self-proclamation, no? But when you give Indoor Creature one listen, you’ll soon understand why. 

Formed in 2015, the Austin-based group brings a fresh sound to the indie scene, combining intricate notes of jazz, surf rock, and indie-pop to create a kaleidoscope of vibrant sound. The six-piece band has grown from a duo since its inception, and now features guitar, bass, percussion, keys, synth and saxophone to make for a big bright sound that sets them apart from other indie bands. Live performance is where the group excels, having played a number of shows in addition to two national tours.

Indoor Creatures’ third studio album, Living in Darkness, epitomizes their sound. Released May 28th, the 11-track LP blends surf-rock harmonies, jazz progressions, and introspective lyrics, showing both the band’s ambition and talent. Created in hopes of making an album as high-energy as their live performances, the band has honed in its sound and released a collection of songs that is their own in every sense. 

The lead single, “American Dream” tackles materialism, masking the serious subject matter with saxophone solos and a light, jazzy instrumental section. The meshing of seriousness with the poppy sound is a signature move of the band. Delving into their dreams, feelings, and current events, primary writers Caleb Fleischer and Travis Kitchen do not hold back. The single/second track also sets the tone for what’s to come on the album. Dreamy and laid-back, Living in Darkness takes the band’s established sound on vacation, somewhere a bit more surfy, and definitely on island time. 

Other standout songs on the album include “Get Away,” and “Ocean Blue,” both of which are sonically complex, but still laid back. With floating harmonies, wavy Rhodes keyboard sounds, and tasteful riffs from both guitar and saxophone, the songs are very different from much of what you typically hear these days.

Following the February release of “Ocean Blue”, Indoor Creature, along with Pillarboxed, released an accompanying music video. The video is reminiscent of an 80s movie, with tastes of the band’s energetic performance style. Conceptually, the video is also very unique – and with a bit of a twist in the plot, it blends creativity and comedy, making it a fun watch.

The band returned to live music in March, but will play their first headlining show this month for their album release at Spider House Ballroom in Austin. The dense instrumentals of Living in Darkness show promise for an amazing live experience, especially given the band’s efforts to make the album as similar to their live sound as possible. 

Living in Darkness is a well-rounded bright and dreamy album, and brings much hope for a slate of fantastic live shows by Indoor Creature in the coming months; for now, sit back, grab a cold one, and enjoy the sunshine with this stellar summer album.