Put them in a pile with synth heavy pioneers OMD, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk (sans vocoder), Hot Chip, Devo, and Flaming Lips (circa 2002), with traces of Can, pursuing psychedelic soundscapes like Animal Collective. The vocals range from galactic whisper to an intensity similar to Cedric Bixler (Mars Volta/At The Drive In) or Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), and at times the playfulness of Beck, Liars, and even Beastie Boys.

The band spent its last few years living at the notorious Vermont House, an underground venue where HST wrote and released The End Of The Sky, and established a command post for the D.I.Y. community, inspiring a rise in underground non-venues. It also served as a command station for the band’s own record label, How To Be A Microwave. —Read more about the House at this link.

When time came to move on, Halloween Swim Team packed up and sought solitude in the city suburbs to finish its new psychedelic synth-pop album, ANTENNAAA, some of which they will release as a 3-part EP series of new songs, rarities, and live recordings. The band has since emerged with a vengeance, racking up miles in its graffiti-covered van playing endless shows. Quite a beauty, the giant van’s front grill is missing because the previous owner hit a deer and the headlights are attached by bungee cords. There’s a pink elephant on the side. The band can be seen at rock and roll clubs, living rooms, restaurants, barns, rooftops, and even lugging its instruments up desert rocky mountains to play in middle of nowhere.

Halloween Swim Team recently performed live at three L.A. radio stations in the same week, at KCRW, KXLU, and Indie 103. The band’s cover of “Look Back In Anger” appears on the highly anticipated Manimal Vinyl compilation We Were So Turned On: A Tribute To David Bowie, alongside Duran Duran, Megapuss, Ed Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and more.

Its founders moved out in early 2010, and while The House went back to being a house, its legacy in L.A.D.I.Y. history lives on. The House had its charms, including beer stains, graffiti, and vegan taco crumbs, which come with the home/venue/attraction territory, and saw regular visits by the vigilante man who controls foot traffic outside notorious alley venue The Smell. As founder Dustin Krapes once said, “I am definitely willing to live with a dirty carpet in order to have a good show at The House.”

While all this scene-making took place, How To Be A Microwave uncovered the music for its imprint. 2009 saw the release of Virginia Reed’s noisy folk epic, She Is The Horse, Halloween Swim Team’s The End Of The Sky, also available on CD through Modern Sleeze! Records, and Michael Nhat’s self-titled experimental hip hop LP.  A Demon Slayer 7-inch, a Narwhal Party full-length, and a 7-inch for Halloween Swim Team’s “Spaceship” are planned for 2010, as well as the second volume of the label’s compilation series featuring their favorite bands.

Vinyl Releases:
MIC 001: Halloween Swim Team/Cardio Pulmonary/XYXX split 7″
MIC 002: Virginia Reed “She Is The Horse” LP/digital
(recorded in various strange places over the course of several years, this is singer/songwriter Keith Hendricksen’s noisey folk epic debut)
MIC 003: Michael Nhat (S/T) LP/digital

How To Be A Microwave Volume 1., a free mp3 compilation download, is available on howtobeamicrowave.com.
Featured Artists:
Wet Dreams
Michael Nhat
Color Club
Halloween Swim Team
The Chinese Stars
Melted Cassettes
Vaginals
Narwhal Party
Ginsu Wives
The Girl With Violent Arms
Demon Slayer
Virginia Reed
Blue Tape Red Tape
60-Watt Kid