LISTEN: White Dress

"Magnificent Ruin"

"The Kill"


"Five Feet of Road"


"No Solid State"


At night, what is there? The sky has the moon, but what do we have here on the ground? At night, there's a certain mystery that permeates the air. There are always more questions in the dead of night than there are in the bright comfort of the daytime.

White Dress is the question and answer. Fuzzed out just a pinch, singer/guitarist Arum Rae seduces in a wash of '60s echo chamber-style reverb with songs that elucidate the emotions buried deep inside her heart. It feels like Rae's sharing something so personal, with the only thing sparing the listener from feeling the brunt of her emotional weight being that fitting veil of fuzz. It's nothing too complex, though. It's rather minimalist in a Black Keys-type of way with just raw electric guitar, drums, and a bucket of reverb to round out the sound. White Dress are a mix of blues, garage rock, and lo-fi; a band that can do a lot with just a little. Sparse instrumentation allows Rae's vocals and emotions to shine, and, sometimes, punch through that thin wall of fuzz. Can you feel it? Now you have your answer.

White Dress is a duo from Austin, TX featuring Arum Rae Valkonen (vocals, guitar) and Grant Van Amburgh (drums).

White Dress @ MySpace
White Dress @ Facebook