Seraphina Lotkhamnga on June 11th, 2013

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After the demise of Just An Animal (f/k/a Red Cortez, the Weather Underground), Harley Prechtel-Cortez lay low for a while to focus on his art and film-making career, but it didn’t take too long for Prechtel-Cortez to get back to music. Recruiting the likes of Amiee Lay (The Lost & Found), Curt Barlage (The Bixby Knolls), Diego Guerrero and James Rodriguez to flesh out a live band, new music under the moniker Halfbluud began to take form. Aside from the handful of live shows, Halfbluud has also already released a self-titled EP, a second one titled “Shibuya,” and is preparing for a third release in July. Fans of Halfbluud’s frontman probably aren’t surprised by the series of EPs though; Red Cortez also released several EPs one after another in 2011. However, Halfbluud’s sound palette wafts in a sonic soundscape with more reverb than any of his previous bands offered: “Love Stimulation” off of “Halfbluud” echoes with harmonies and finger snaps while instrumental tune “Things Fall Apart” off of “Shibuya” lies in soft minimal atmospherics; and “I Wanna Be You” off of the forthcoming EP swings with a fuzzed out blues riff. If there’s one thing Prechtel-Cortez isn’t afraid of, it’s going in new directions.

||| Stream: “I Wanna Be You” from the forthcoming EP and grab the self-titled and “Shibuya” EPs on a name-your-price basis.

||| Live: Halfbluud plays tonight at the Bootleg with Dark Furs and Tulips.

Photo of Halfbluud at Make Music Pasadena 2013 by Carl Pocket