A Beacon School

A Beacon School serves as the dream pop outlet for Patrick J. Smith, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in New York. His 2018 debut full-length Cola showcases tracks that swing between brisk, guitar-driven pop cuts with jangle and expansive shoegaze passages.

Smith launched the project in 2009. A demo single recorded at home surfaced in 2011, while a self-titled EP featuring the complete band lineup emerged late in 2012. The ensemble performed multiple concerts in New York City and Connecticut during work on a longer collection. Smith also appeared in Modern Rivals and Bluffing, and collaborated with Parquet Courts’ Max Savage in Maxband. Grind Select issued Cola in 2018. Favorable notices helped cultivate a global listenership over time, which led to an expanded vinyl edition of the album arriving in 2019.