The indie blogosphere just grew teeth, claws, and a serious set of Marshall stacks. soundvystem records, the freshly-minted label sprouting from the gritty soil of the New York City indie music blog, is cannonballing into the deep end with a debut compilation. “daylight x darknight” is a curated riot, a journey through the spectrum where melody collides head-first with noise. This is a scene being built in real-time, brick by discordant brick.
Let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t some algorithmically generated playlist. This is a vision, curated by label owner Roman Martinez, who had the guts to avoid “strict parameters” and instead chase a feeling, an “overall story.” The concept is brilliantly simple yet endlessly expansive: light versus dark. Not genres, but atmospheres. And from that simple premise explodes a compilation that is both coherent and wildly unpredictable, proof of the raw, un-categorized spirit of the underground scenes it pulls from.
Side A, your “daylight,” isn’t about cheerful pop. It’s about that luminous, guitar-driven haze that feels like sunspots behind your eyelids. It kicks off with Phantom Wave laying down the gauntlet with “Wanton,” a lush, shoegaze opener that’s less a whisper and more a widescreen roar. It sets the stage for a side that includes the melodic architectures of Phoenix duo Dear Dorrit and the lo-fi garage grit of Leeds’ Pin-Up Sisters. But don’t get too comfortable in the glow. Boston’s Lesbiana is there too, a jolt of energy that ensures the “daylight” has a serious edge.
Then you flip the tape. Welcome to “darknight.” This is where the vibrations get heavier, the textures grow shadows, and the air gets thick. New York’s own post-punk/dream pop wrecking crews, doubleshot and Iceblynk, kick off the descent. You’ve got the noise-pop dissonance of Pittsburgh’s Weird Era lurking here, alongside the haunting alternative pop of Exit Moon. This side is the compilation’s gnashing teeth, featuring exclusive, bone-shaking new cuts from artists like SNAKEY DUBLAY and GLICH3. The Photocopies from Michigan add their own layer of haunting resonance. It’s a masterclass in controlled chaos.
What’s truly rock ‘n’ roll about this whole endeavour isn’t only the music—it’s the ethos. soundvsystem records was a name in a phone note in 2022. Now it’s a label putting out tangible, limited-edition black marble cassettes. That’s the DIY spirit that built rock and roll. They’re not waiting for permission; they’re building the platform themselves. They’re championing artists like navel grazr and GLICH3 alongside slightly more established acts, creating a family where the only entry requirement is potency.
The tracklisting is a battle plan. From the previously released anchors like Iceblynk’s “Plummet” and Exit Moon’s “Camera Shy” to the brand-exclusive artillery like Pin-Up Sisters’ defiantly-titled “This Song Sucks” and Lesbiana’s “Shock My Mother!”, every song is a new shade in Martinez’s promised spectrum. It’s a ride that moves from melodic introspection to pure, adrenalized catharsis.
“daylight x darknight” is a triumphant middle finger to genre purists and a welcoming hand to anyone with “an appetite for discovery.” soundvsystem records proves that the most exciting guitar music, the most vital electronic pulses, and the most daring pop structures are happening in the in-between spaces.
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