Cranial Pressure – A Raw Cranium EP Release

Ethan McConnell  

Live Music Director 

Austin has a plethora of local artists that can provide energy during their sets but let me introduce you to one that will give you energy for days. Stefan Barraza brings in his talents all the way from El Paso down to Austin to partner up with everyone’s favorite drummer Jaelyn Valero to form Almost Heaven. This two-piece band meshes post-punk, electronic, indie, dance and pop elements into a beautiful wall of sound. On January 30, the deadly duo hosted an EP release party showcasing their hard work from the past year. The night to come was set with full glasses, rich conversation, and endless vibrations, and I’m here to tell you all about what you missed. 

Amelia’s Best Friend 

Now ABF is no stranger to the Austin scene, and if you haven’t seen them yet, you need to get on that. This five-piece band has beautifully lush woven melodies brought with a mix of both electric and acoustic guitar. These guys opened for the night, and the texture of their playing was very warm with not one person overpowering each other.  The soft vocals and laid-back guitar riffs made it very much an easy listen when first walking into the venue. The slowcore band keeps things fresh with sliding guitar tones and having multiple vocalists, having 2 or sometimes even 3 people singing lines. When hearing tracks from their debut album like “Put You Down” and “Satellite (Machines)”, it was hard not to sway your body gently from side to side. 

Witches Exist 

When you hear this band, you get an even balance of punchy and spacey. The drums aren’t doing anything crazy and isn’t the main component for a lot of the rhythm sections. The guitars sound disjunct giving a nice variety between the two, and then you have the use of synth adding in a nice wavy accompanying melody. One thing I liked from this band is the change from simple to compound meters. Some tracks like “Leaf” and “Homeostasis” would be in a simple 4/4 time signature while “Tacomex” starts off with a daring 6/8, then transitions smoothly into your standard 4/4. The riffs are gritty and mathy and kind of bending the lines between indie and post punk. The vocalist, Jackson Baker, also offers duality with some songs being soft that barely raises in volume, while others are screaming joining in the loudness with the guitars. They’ve only been releasing music for three years and have already gathered thousands of listeners and have gone on multiple tours whether it be their own headlining or opening for another. Regardless though, there is high hope for this band as they keep evolving their sound. 

Almost Heaven  

Now, I’ve seen Almost Heaven several times, with my first encounter dating back to SXSW last year. After that initial set, I walked up to Stefan to give him his flowers, and I still remember him laughing and saying, “I saw you in the front, you were vibey as f%#@.” At the time, he had just under 100 monthly listeners. Fast forward to now, and he’s headlining multiple shows across Austin, stretching all the way to Los Angeles, with his audience growing well past the 1,000-listener mark. No matter how many times I see this man perform, he attacks every set with the same urgency and intensity as if it were his first time on stage. 

The relationship between the music and the performance is completely synonymous. You don’t get one without the other. Stefan keeps the crowd in constant motion, weaving through audience members, jumping alongside them, and at one point practically shoving the microphone down his own throat as he screams lyrics with conviction. Holding it all together is Jaelyn Valero, arguably the busiest drummer in Austin, delivering some of the nastiest and loudest fills from start to finish. Together, these genre benders create something that feels genuinely new and deeply revitalizing. 

It’s nearly impossible to stand still at an Almost Heaven show. Between the crushing drums, screeching vocals, and the unmistakable connection between artist and audience, the energy is relentless. With the release of their most recent EP, Raw Cranium, fans can stream standout tracks like “fever trying to blow” and “Hypnoxia,” alongside newer cuts such as “baby teeth” and “commotion”. The EP delivers a sound that leaves your ears ringing in the best way possible, layered with rolling synths, thumping bass hits, and a raw intensity that mirrors the chaos of their live performances.