Texas band semiwestern announces debut LP & shares first single/video, “Pose”

“This song is sort of what put us on track to make this album, that and my dog’s surgery. Some friends had asked me if we were still working on music, the answer was no, but I showed them a demo of ‘pose’ and received some really positive feedback. Around the same time, my wiener dog had to undergo a second spinal surgery and required 24 hour care and months of rehab. We were confined to my room all day, with my recording equipment, for the better part of three months and that’s when I recorded ‘pose’ and wrote the rest of the album.” -Ty Bohrnstedt, semiwestern

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Hailing from Texas, semiwestern is an indie band consisting of Ty Bohrnstedt and Daniel Gonzalez. Their creative undertaking took root in their childhood, as they crossed paths as aspiring tennis players competing in national junior tournaments around the country. They would later reunite in their 20s, sparking a musical connection that would become the foundation of semiwestern.

With influences ranging from the visionary songcraft of Grandaddy, Pinback and R. Stevie Moore, to the moodiness and melodic brilliance of Lou Reed, Elliott Smith, The Fall, Built To Spill, and Sonic Youth, semiwestern weaves a charmingly unpolished and emotive sound that is heavily informed by DIY ethos.

Despite the distance between them, with Daniel residing in Houston and Ty in a small town outside of Dallas, the duo overcomes geographical obstacles by sharing their creative process through digital means. Iterations of songs are exchanged via email, while discussions and refining of their musical vision take place over countless phone calls.

Formerly known as The Vliets, semiwestern has garnered recognition in the vibrant music scene of Austin, Texas. They were once voted as the “Best Emerging Rock Band” in Austin by The Deli Magazine, and have opened for notable artists such as Alex G, DIIV, Elvis Depressedly, and Frankie Rose. semiwestern’s 2022 saw the release of single “velvet sea” on Spirit Goth Records and a cover of Charli XCX’s “Constant Repeat,” which garnered praise from the original song’s producer. A full length album is due out in September 2023 on Spirit Goth Records.