***"Hooks so infectious they rot on impact. Trash Classic marks a feral mutation for Frankie and the Witch Fingers—a record that snarls with proto-punk venom, angular melodies, and electronic textures that cough and sputter like dying neon lights under a poisoned sky.This record pushes the Witch Fingers’ sound to a razor's edge. Wiry and twitching, it bends into synth-punk and fractured new wave, with fragments of industrial grime caked under its nails. Guitars detonate and slice like cinder blocks through glass, while gnashing basslines slither through the sludge, alive and seething. Buzzy synths take the forefront, driving relentless rhythms that crack and pop, drenched in a chemically saturated sheen—part bug-eyed speed-freak pogo, part dance-floor delirium. The vocals cut through like static-laced transmissions—balancing both smirk and sneer—layering playful unease over themes of escapism, decay, and overindulgence.The songs were born in the grime of Vernon, Los Angeles—a wasteland littered with gutted RVs and rusting machinery, where the air tastes like asphalt and dog food. But the real alchemy happened in Oakland, at Tiny Telephone Studio, where producer Maryam Qudus (La Luz, Spacemoth) helped transmute the tracks into their final forms. Unhinged tones, unconventional recording experiments, and wild sonic detours transformed the songs into something alive and unpredictable.Every day of recording began with cartoons blaring at full volume—a Looney Tunes ritual that turned the madness of the recording process into something child like. Late at night, sugar-fueled candy binges kept the energy spiking, pushing the sessions into a fever dream of jittery, spastic...
LP $29.50
07/25/2025
***Pacific Highway Music reintroduces Skegss as the duo of Ben Reed and Jonny Lani presenting their most masterful and fully realized work to date. The Byron Bay, Australia-bred band’s third full-length album brings a newly heightened creative energy to every aspect of their explosive yet introspective form of rock. Centered on Reed’s frenetic and playful lyricism, Pacific Highway Music finds Skegss exploring the more complicated elements of the human experience with sincerity and unabashed joie de vivre. Edition of 300 copies on purple vinyl.
LP $22.25
01/31/2025
***The fourth studio album from DIIV—a strenuous four year effort that challenged the group professionally, personally, and artistically., The result is a sound that stretches well beyond territory they've explored in their previous works. The album title is a reference to a “Boiling Frog” in Daniel Quinn’s The Story of B. The band explains “If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will of course frantically try to clamber out. But if you place it gently in a pot of tepid water and turn the heat on low, the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, exactly like one of us in a hot bath, and before long, with a smile on its face, it will unresistingly allow itself to be boiled to death.” The sound and lyrical themes of the record are well suited for this metaphor. A heavy catharsis drenches listeners as vocalist Zach Smith delivers hauntingly beautiful lyric. Lines such as “I say I'm not afraid, I’ve lived through pain, I’m learning to see through everything” penetrate deep as they float atop a lush wall of fuzzed out reverb and simple but effective groove. Conflicting feelings of sadness, pain, and comfort wash over listeners like a warm bath. Start to finish, this is a truly beautiful record that positions itself to stand the test of time. Pressed on limited melting amber vinyl in an edition of 500 copies.
LP $27.35
06/21/2024
***Southern California punk rock quartet Plague Vendor are back and better than ever with their latest release, Rougher Than Rough. Songs that push, pulse, sway and groove; are all delivered with a distinct swagger that pulls from the greats of rock ‘n’ roll. This is a record not to be fucked with. Pressed on blood moon red vinyl in an edition of 300 copies.
LP $25.50
06/21/2024
***Southern California jazz duo Mattson 2 is comprised of identical twins Jared & Jonathan Mattson. Channeling the likes of Coltrane, Flying Lotus, and Danger Mouse; the duo deliver a vast catalog of sound steeped in lush textures, warm crackle, and intricate rhythms. 2022’s Bohsheekwo presents 10 tracks of surreal production and expansive performance. Tracks such as “C’est La Vie”, “Monsters”, and “Addiction” lay foundations of unhinged groove that pulse with urgency and tension. Haunting vocal delivery and psyched out atmospheric guitars and keys add immersive counterweight that glue the work together. Interlude tracks “Happy Hill” and “Hayama Rain” contribute peaceful, sonic palette cleansers that brace listeners for what’s to come next. Standout title “Spiritual Things” spends 7 minutes weaving in and out of explorative performance and melody perfectly setting the stage for the properly titled closer; “Beach Trance”. Acoustic guitar strums candidly atop lush tropical guitar and soundscapes leaving listeners with a sense of calm and relief. S4 is pleased to offer this exclusive “Monochrome Swirl” variant of a record that is guaranteed to stand the test of time in any collection. Enjoy.
LP $21.95
03/22/2024
***"King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is a band of eclectic psych-rock juggernauts that continually deliver albums that push the envelope. As part of the band’s bootlegger series in which the group gives the public free rein to release selected works, we are happy to present a Salton-Sea Exclusive of Polygondwanaland. The group's 12th studio album is arguably one of their finest works. The record takes listeners on a cerebral 45 minute journey compromised of astonishing instrumentation, expansive production, and beautifully creative storytelling. This is album is truly meant to be listened to from start to finish and we say this with confidence, that once it starts, you won’t want it to stop." Pressed on lava colored vinyl.
LP $28.75
12/08/2023
***Hether is the solo project of Paul Castelluzo, a notably well versed multi-instrumentalist with a serious knack for writing and recording music in earnest. Sticky Thumb delivers 8 strong numbers channeling the likes of T-Rex, Lou Reed, and the Beach Boys. Castelluzo artfully borrows from his influences while wholeheartedly making each statement his own. Sun-Soaked “Sex Wax” is full of adolescent energy and infectious groove and melody. “Oidar” again delivers a fantastic rhythm section, clever production, strong melodic movement, and effortless vocal delivery. A notable favorite “Highbrid” reimagines a nostalgically beautiful melancholy version of “Hybrid Moments” by the Misfits. Pressed on green with neon green splatter vinyl.
LP $27.35
11/10/2023
***Hibou is the indie dream-pop solo project from Paris based Peter Michel. His latest release Arc delivers 5 strong numbers of ethereal pop bliss. Self-engineered, self-produced, and solely performed by Michel save the drums provided by Jase Ihler; the project is a labor of love. Within seconds the opener “Night Fell” immerses listeners into a sonic palette of comforting textures and pulsing rhythm that consistently carries throughout the record. The drums pulse and push without being overpowering. Michel’s vocals function as a wonderful texture that blends beautifully with the instruments while still providing clarity in key moments to allow the songs to shine melodically. Standout track “Upon The Clouds You Weep”, features a thunderous drum performance from Ihler supporting a wall of lush distortion and glittery vocals from Michel. ‘Already Forgotten’ closes out the record in synth driven, heartfelt melancholy. The lyric is a beautifully written and leaves one with a cathartic resolve. Michel notably sings: “I should've known, forever won't take too long. Tomorrow's almost gone. Already forgotten”. Pressed on white vinyl.
LP $23.75
11/10/2023
***Salton Sea Sound System presents this exclusive “Candy Splatter” variant of the 2016 record, 666 by SUGAR CANDY MOUNTAIN—featuring the bonus track “Sucette” previously not available on vinyl. The group skillfully blends elements of '60s psychedelia and lo-fi pop to deliver an immersive listening experience. Simple, yet tasteful grooves lay a strong foundation for a wall of lush synths, catchy guitars, and infectious vocal melodies. Dive into this sun-soaked acid trip. It’s a treat. "A space-age blast of psychedelic pop and Tropicalia that sounds like it could have reverberated right out of Phil Spector’s echo chamber. If Brian Wilson had dropped acid on the beach in Brazil and decided to record an album with Os Mutantes and The Flaming Lips, it would sound like this— featuring space-age sounds and far-out frequencies from the tripped our tropics."
LP $26.95
03/03/2023