Heaven 12"

Aptly described as making "cosmic dance and emotional pop music,” the East Bay Area trio Shock features two founding members of the Oakland post-pop quintet Call & Response (singing bass player Terri Loewenthal and multi-instrumentalist Dan Judd, who also fronts the electronic band Sorcerer) along with “space guitarist” Michael Taras. Prior to its debut album, Shock has released this 12-inch vinyl version of its lead single and four alluring remixes. “Heaven” opens with the warm distortion of bassy analog synthesizer tones, seductive rhythms, chorus-effected guitars, and a sublimely sultry vocal performance by Loewenthal. She manages to make her breathy, ethereal singing sound demure and flirtatious at the same time. The “Hatchback’s Kind Bud Assist” remix does well to accentuate the spacy neon synthesizers inspired by those in Fleetwood Mac’s Tango in the Night. Taras’ penchant for stroboscopic ping-pong delay in his guitar playing is highlighted here, as well as in the percolating ambience of the “Beat Broker Dub Mix.”