Illuminauts Ready to Give You ‘Swine Flu'

If listening to Illuminauts makes you feel like you're on drugs, that's because it's supposed to. Comprised of locals Santino Romeri and Nicky Castañeda, the electronic band weaves trip-hop beats and psychedelic samples into moody sonic tapestries designed to expand your mind.

Listening to Illuminauts can be a trippy experience, but until now it's only been a live one. That's set to change on April 2, when the duo releases its debut 7-inch on Single Screen Records. The record features two otherworldly tracks from the band: "Swine Flu" on the A-side, and "Acid Hands" on the B.

To celebrate, Illuminauts will be playing a special release show that night at the Whistlestop. Joining in the festivities will be their labelmates in  the Paddle Boat, whose jazzy folk-rock treads similarly extraterrestrial terrain. The Paddle Boat have also been covering some literal terrain lately; the trio just returned from a Southwestern tour that included a stop at a small, little-known music festival called South by Southwest.

The Illuminauts record is just one of several upcoming Single Screen releases. Debut 7-inches from provocatively named bands Nude Boy and Neon Dick are forthcoming, as are re-presses of the Vision of a Dying World's I Will Not Fear What I Don't Understand EP and Beaters' Fishage single. The latter band has just embarked on a cross-country tour with San Diego success story the Soft Pack.

As with all Friday shows at the charming hipster dive Whistlestop, admission for the Illuminauts' show is free.

Chris Maroulakos is a writer and editor for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.

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