For the first time in the history of their band Dear Blanca didn’t record with Charlotte area music producer and creator Bo White. Dear Blanca traveled to a studio outside of Raleigh, NC where they crashed and recorded for several days, focusing on creating five new tunes that would set the new tone for the band. The results are an album that’s less gritty in some ways, and maybe more approachable than their past releases. For Dear Blanca fans, they’ll surely find something they love on the new EP.

This week their EP debuted on British website Gold Flake Paint who raved about the new album.

“Opening track ‘Joint Effort‘ is a swaggering expelling of demons, all vibrant guitars and forceful declarations, while ‘Thoughtless’ steps it up a further gear with a crashingly propulsive drive. Barely letting up the pace throughout, the second half of the record follows a similar path, bursting headlong through ‘Temporary Solution‘ and the bustling title track – although the pace does settle somewhat for closing track ‘Ill At Ease‘, though it’s only ever a short reprieve as that voice rips apart any sense of solemnity that might be found.”

That’s the modern day music world we live in. It seems Dear Blanca has always had the ability to build fanbases outside of their hometown, maybe even easier than it is to build their own fanbase here in Columbia.

Dear Blanca took no time off from writing or recording, and this album isn’t even officially out until Friday March 4. Last week they were already back in the studio with one of South Carolina’s best up and coming producers Wolfgang Zimmerman in Charleston. Those sessions look to bring out an even newer side to Dear Blanca, though we’ll have to wait to hear what that sounds like. Hopefully they’ll give us a glimpse at their album release show Saturday, March 5 at New Brookland Tavern.