Possessed of a languid, ethereal murkiness, Olympia, Washington's Broken Water evoke some of the heaviest hitters the '90s had to offer while combining their familiar sounds to create something that is all their own. Made up of drummer Kanako Pooknyw and guitarist Jon Hanna, who met while in the band Sisters, as well as bassist Abigail Ingram, the trio has a sonic lineage that can be traced back to bands like Unwound, Sonic Youth, and My Bloody Valentine. This mélange of influences results in a droning, beautifully messy sound that hides layers of melody within its muddy depths that listeners can delve into and explore. Their first full-length, Whet, appeared in 2010 on Radio Is Down, and was quickly followed up the next year by the EP Peripheral Star. Their sophomore full-length effort, Tempest, arrived in 2012 on Hardly Art. ~ Gregory Heaney