Stylistically, Tremor marks an exciting shift in this
Portland duo’s signature sound. On their debut album, VISIONDEATH,
and EP, Chain of Pink,
the songs skew more toward brutal noise, mind-bending jams, and intense volume
(with delicious results). While that facemelting shoegaze vibe is still firmly
in place (notably on “Bed Head” and “Sweat”), “Highwire”, “Gloss” and “Ruby”
show the band venturing into new sonic territory – these songs are a little moodier
than their previous fare, branching out into the realms of grunge-influenced
psychedelia and atmospheric slowcore. Bands like Codeine, Low, My Bloody
Valentine, Ringo Deathstarr, Smashing Pumpkins, No Joy and Starflyer 59 served
as major influences during the making of Tremor.
This new direction serves the band well; the
songs feel focused and incisive, and listening to the EP from start to finish feels
almost like an exorcism. According to the band, “All of the tracks abstractly
deal with different forms of anxiety.” Opening track, “Ruby”, lulls you into a
detached state of derealization, followed by “Bed Head”, which deals with the
depression associated with that headspace. The third track, “High Wire”, reflects
on the physical discomfort caused by stress. “Gloss” is a sullen expanse of overcast
sky before “Sweat” whips the listener into an uneasy frenzy. Ambient album
closer “Acid Braids” takes the edge off, providing relief in the form of a mind-bending
comedown.
Tremor
is a brilliant trip that we highly recommend. The EP will be a digital-only
release, free to download and available across all major streaming/downloading
platforms including iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, etc. this Friday. The WTSH radio show will also be premiering a tune from Tremor TONIGHT on DKFM. Catch the show at 10pm ET/9pm CT/7pm PT at decayfm.com.
