Candace - Ideal Corners (2020) [Hi-Res]

Candace is a trio crafting dreamy landscapes and hazy memories expertly packaged into various forms of psychedelia. They’re at home with dream pop, fuzzy indie rock, atmospheric folk, shoegaze and everything in-between. The group consists of Sarah Rose on bass/vocals, Sarah Nienaber on guitar/vocals and Mara Appel Des Lauriers on the kit. They’ve been playing together for just over a decade, always refining and perfecting their art form.

The group began as Is/Is in 2009 in Minneapolis, releasing an EP and a 7” single the subsequent two years. Shortly afterwards, Mara headed west to Portland leaving the Sarahs to fend for themselves. They continued with other drummers and conjured two full length LPs, III in 2012 and their self-titled in 2014. Later that year, the Sarahs recorded Shadow Days as a duo, marking the end of their time in the frigid upper Midwest. They released the album after following Mara all the way to Portland. With the trio finally reunited, they changed the band name to Candace and released their aptly titled New Future in 2016 and New Ruins in 2018.

Immediately following New Ruins, Candace began recording practice space demos for their next album. They started to experiment with layering drum machines atop Mara’s live drums. Previously the two Sarahs would exchange duties on bass and guitar but this time they decided to stick to their primary instrument, Nienaber on guitar and Rose on bass. Once the tunes were ready, they took them over to Larry Crane at Jackpot! Recording Studio in late summer 2019.

The result is the shimmering beauty and quiet power of their new record Ideal Corners. The album explores themes of nostalgia and hope, the unease of modern band life, expectations and inertia - all encapsulated into tightly written psychedelic dream pop songs. There’s a melancholic elegance and lush grandeur to these tunes thanks to the timeless melodies, the glowing production and of course Mara’s ethereal chimes. Ideal Corners is the hazed-out summation of years of songcraft and self-discovery. The kind of record only Candace could make.
- Steve Rosborough