If Holly Herndon’s blatant attempt at triggering ASMR had the opposite effect of turning you off sponge baths forever, you’ll be glad to know that the experience isn’t exclusively induced by soft voices describing the feeling of rolling around in a kiddie pool filled with chocolate pudding. Turk Dietrich of the drone/shoegaze duo Belong told Self-Titled recently about his and Josh Eustis’s (of Telefon Tel Aviv) tendency to experience ASMR “in response to certain rhythms and sounds,” and as things stand, that’s theoretically the case for human beings generally. I know I feel that tingling sensation when especially pretty moments of my favorite tracks come up, and I’ve neglected to seriously acknowledge it as a thing until this very article!
Fortunately, as Second Woman, Dietrich and Eustis are doing their part to call attention to the less creepy ASMR triggers, as their self-titled debut is said to deliberately incorporate altered tropes of footwork and dub as a means of hopefully tickling your spinal column. The album’s out May 27 as a double-vinyl on Spectrum Spools, and it follows a 17-year friendship between Dietrich and Eustis, which otherwise coincided with their Benelli collaboration.
Let’s not shy away from mentioning the SND/Autechre recollection on the track “700358bc5” below (with the Second Woman tracklisting following).
Second Woman tracklisting:
01. 100407jd7
02. 200601je6
03. 300528mj1
04. 400425cc2
05. 500609sp3
06. 600249li9
07. 700358bc5
08. 800438ul8
09. 900438an4