Younger Still is a very capable shoegaze/dream-pop project out of Ohio, led by Nick Butto with help from guitarist Zak Takacs, bassist Mike Tyson, and drummer Mark Butto. They have three quality efforts on Soundcloud, perhaps the most remarkable being the enchanting “Magic”. The initial sound is trapped somewhere between nostalgic melancholy and unbridled glee, the former brought on by an emotive guitar pounding and the latter represented by a whistling lead that envelopes the intro. When the vocals kick in, the backing resembles a highly melodic androgynous quality apparent in many dream-pop and shoegaze epics. “Loving you, through and through, is all I know,” they sing. The pulsating chorus finds Butto more in front, channeling a nasally melodic whimsy similar to Wayne Coyne. Awash in bouncy guitars and effervescent keys, the various elements on “Magic” combine for a gripping atmospheric experience.
