LABEL: Independent

GENRE: Psychedelic Rock / Dream Pop

SOUNDS LIKE: Tame Impala, CRUMB, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Melody's Echo Chamber

BIOGRAPHY

Agouti is the Oakland California psychedelic rock band helmed by singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Carmen Caruso. A classically trained pianist with an academic background in experimental electronic music, Caruso started Agouti in 2015 with a DIY ethos inspired by the success of home-recording projects by genre heavyweights like Tame Impala and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. After building a soundproof studio in her basement, restoring a vintage 4 track reel to reel recorder, and learning the bass guitar, she began writing her first set of songs. Fusing the old-school-cool vibes of golden-age West Coast psychedelia with the progressive tilt of Krautrock, the ethereal reverberations of shoegaze, and the lo-fi textures of bedroom pop, Agouti immerses listeners in a kaleidoscope of sonic exploration. Most importantly, beneath the vibrant production lies a trove of tightly-crafted pop songs that captivate with memorable melodies and lyrical depth.

Agouti’s 2019 debut album ‘Nodes’ has earned acclaim from Happy Mag, Brightest Young Things, and KQED’s mixtape of up and coming psychedelic bands. Their latest single ‘Golden Hour’ shows off a more laid-back side of the band, layering breezy syncopated drum grooves, hypnotic arpeggios, and lush dream pop atmospheres. The band’s reputation as a tight and compelling live act has secured them opening slots for neo-psychedelic luminaries Kikagaku Moyo, Sugar Candy Mountain, and Elephant Stone, as well as bookings at festivals like Noise Pop, Woollystar, SF Sketchfest, and Real Neato.

PRESS

KQED - Mixtape: San Francisco’s Modern Psychedelic Sounds

Happy Mag - “Agouti’s debut album Nodes is a psychedelic journey of personal growth”

Fresh on the Net - Fresh Faves 310

Mp3 Hugger - “Agouti - Times of Clouds and Sun”

High Clouds - “Agouti’s self-released new single ‘Dragons’ is out today.”

American Pancake - ”Agouti stir up proggy psyche rock on ‘Dragons’”

Skope Mag - “Agouti - ‘Dragons’ single”

Week in Pop - “Cities, scenes, skies & dreams”