Aviation Records’ 2021 release

While the forthcoming Ben Gibbard–curated Burn to Shine documentary captured a quality cross section of local acts on film, Aviation Records’ 2021 compilation reads like an audio archive of Seattle’s current soundscapes, which is just what Kerry Zettel, 2021 mastermind/Aviation Records founder and Das Llamas frontman, intended. “The whole idea was to try and bookmark a certain time in the Seattle music scene,” he says of the release. “There is a ton of really cool stuff going on right now, and it seemed like it should be officially noted.” Duly. The track listing touts a long line of not-too-shabby submissions from the likes of Grand Archives, the Cave Singers, Night Canopy, the Can’t See, Tiny Vipers, Fleet Foxes, and more, including a handful of previously unreleased gems. Fellow comp contributors Feral Children, Das Llamas, the Pharmacy, and Weirdlords rep it live tonight.

Listen to a sample of Das Llamas' "Wood On Bone."