Aqueduct

Aqueduct sounds like the intersection of a dusty Oklahoma piano lounge and a 2000s Seattle bedroom studio. The music is anchored by David Terry's nimble, staccato piano work and a collection of vintage-sounding synths that feel both nostalgic and urgent. There is a specific 'Casio-core' aesthetic at play here, where the electronic elements feel handmade and slightly frayed at the edges, giving the songs a tactile, human quality despite their programmed foundations.

What truly distinguishes Aqueduct is the contrast between the infectious, almost sugary pop hooks and the deeply literate, often devastating lyricism. Terry has a gift for writing melodies that feel like they have always existed, then subverting them with complex vocal layering and unexpected instrumental flourishes like mariachi horns or Gershwin-style strings. It is music that manages to be both quirky and profoundly sincere, avoiding the irony that often plagues indie pop of this era.

Start with the 2005 album 'I Sold Gold' to hear the definitive version of their bedroom-pop-perfection. It captures the project at its most focused, blending high-energy synth-pop with intimate songwriting. From there, move to 'Or Give Me Death' to hear how the sound expanded into more ambitious, orchestral territory while keeping the core pop sensibility intact.