Cold Beat
Into the Air
CRIME ON THE MOON
7/10
San Francisco is doomed. At least, that’s the fear that Hannah Lew addressed on an early release from her Crime On the Moon label—a 2014 compilation of SF musicians responding to the impact of the recent tech bubble on their city. Contributors like Mikal Cronin and Thee Oh Sees’ John Dwyer have since jumped the burning Bay Area ship, but Lew has held tight, continuing on with her new outfit Cold Beat. Their first effort—Over Me—was a good introduction to a group with an intriguing sound and outlook. Now, just over a year later, Into the Air is another encouraging step forward. This time, the guitars are less prominent, and synths play a central role in setting the mood, which is frequently John Carpenter-esque in direction (“Spirals,” “Cracks”). So maybe San Francisco really is doomed, but as Cold Beat have figured out, the walls can’t cave when you’re hovering somewhere above the Golden Gate.
