Glass Mansions Archives - KUT & KUTX Studios

As temps heat up across Texas, a sun-soaked lethargy is sure to overshadow any idealized productivity. And it seems like a lot of acts have recently been seizing the day by releasing their roadmaps for the rest of the year. So let’s go ahead and add a danceable data point to our early album detection system. It’s an open house from Austin alt-pop duo Glass Mansions, whose banging electronic beats and ardent vocals (courtesy of frontwoman Jayna Doyle) provide a clean contrast to the pair’s smoky, high octane live performances. The pair’s transparent passion balances out beautifully with their opaque take on opulent electro-pop, and visually, their synesthetic aesthetic is a glistening finish. But back to planning things out in advance…we’ve gotta give credit to Glass Mansions for their forethought in releasing a transitory piece that bridges the gap between last year’s “Standing O” and their upcoming 2023 EP. A gorgeous cacophony of color haunted by Doyle’s tortured, ghostly apparition, the music video for “Nearsighted” is definitely the best way to absorb Glass Mansions’ latest gift. Strictly on the sonic front, the industrially processed sub bass, reverb-drowned snaps, and sinister synth arpeggiator provide the perfect bed for Doyle to belt the hell out vocally.

Back at the turn of the millennium it was a pretty interesting phenomenon seeing the label “alt-rock” dominate genre preferences. Now, immersed in the status quo of DAWs and MIDI arrangements a full generation later, we’ve come full circle with “alt-pop”. So if you’re on the prowl for the top purveyors of alt-pop right here in Austin, have peek into Glass Mansions. Made up of vocalist/percussionist/sampler Jayna Doyle and synthesist/guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Blake Arambula, this two-piece definitely ticks a box for member efficiency. In the half decade since breaking ground on Glass Mansions, the pair’s atemporal open house of synth-driven, rock-grounded, dance-adjacent tastes has landed their tunes on MTV, Netflix, and Bravo. And in the live realm, Glass Mansions has glistened onstage alongside Phantogram, Robert Delong, and Young the Giant across Warped Tour, SXSW and beyond. Amongst all that applause and exposure, Glass Mansions has gleaned how to please listeners of all kinds. But as a female-led project, even Glass Mansions has unsurprisingly been smudged by institutionalized oppression. So today, a week out from their free Beach Fossils after show next Friday at The Mohawk, Glass Mansions has pulled the curtain back on their latest music video. Between its news footage, stacked-tv overstimulation, and undeniable crossover appeal, “Standing O” may make you wanna rip your monitor right out of its socket…at least wait ’til you give Glass Mansions a follow.