If you don't yet know the name Mikal Cronin, its probably time to get acquainted.
The San Francisco-based garage rocker has signed to Merge Records this week and is poised to rocket off into the indie stratosphere.
Cronin initially gained notoriety from Reverse Shark Attack, his 2009 collaboration with reigning Bay Area lo-fi kingpin Ty Segall, and the time he spent touring in Segall's road band.
But he transitioned from sideman status with the release of his widely-praised eponymous solo debut full-length last year. In the span of just 34 minutes, "Mikal Cronin" deftly marries a skuzzed-out aesthetic not far from Segall's, full of songs overflowing with ear-wormy hooks. The record's opening track even manages to coax a flute solo out of Thee Oh Sees frontman John Dwyer, always a welcome sonic experience.
With the success of that album, it's no surprise Cronin would sign up with Merge, one of the most well-respected indie labels in the business (home to Arcade Fire, Conor Oberst and the Magnetic Fields).
Upon the release of the news of his signing up with the label, Cronin released the following statement:
"YYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
His sophomore release is expected to drop sometime next year.
Check out Cronin's debut album on Spotify:
Here are some video clips of Cronin performing live:
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