Submotile - Ghosts Fade on
Skylines (Midsummer Madness)
Reviewed by Elizabeth
Klisiewicz
Dublin-based
Submotile is new on the scene, and their
full-length debut album is a real corker. The band is blessed with a plethora
of talent, including velvety-soft vocals that contrast with hard charging
melodies. The band consists of Michael Farren and Daniela Angione, an
Italian-Irish couple who call the Irish capital their home. Lest you think
these folks are throwbacks to the likes of Slowdive, MBV, or Chapterhouse,
think again. Sure, there are aural patterns that remind you of the giants that
came before, but these new leading lights are forging their own way in the
often muddled and crowded field of nu-gaze and every shade of dream pop under
the sun.
Lead out track “Alba” has all the familiar touchpoints, but it’s a jagged haze that goes down like a vanilla milkshake laced with razors. The hooks are indelible and you’ll want to hear it again and again. “Amped and Faded” is aptly named, as it kicks major ass but keeps the vocals corraled in the back of the mix. The “amped” energy level is high and draws you right in and keeps you fixated on their delightful sound.
The
joyous “Tramonto” shimmers and shines like the star-studded arms of the Milky
Way, surely a song for the great unknown cosmos that hovers behind
light-polluted skies. “Eastern Sky Sundown” races forward smoothly, a blissful
mesh of Swervedriver and The Wipers. Pounding drums pummel the senses, all
while layers of heavenly guitar float through, bolstered by sweet vocal lines.
Wonderful and memorable!
The
longform “Winter Storm Sequence” is a firm favorite of mine. It’s
introspective, tranquil, and quite possibly the best song in this suite. Its
understated and otherwordly beauty will surely enchant you and keep you coming
back for more. You can hear ambient and post rock hints, just before the heavy
‘gaze kicks into high gear. “Terra Lontana” uncoils like a viper, striking the
senses with its dichotomy of airy vocals and mind-bending guitar. “3am
Reveries” is another winner, with a huge hook that won’t fail to reel you in!
This one should really be a single and deserves major airplay.
“For
a Moment I Forget You Were Gone” has all the shoegaze elements firmly in place,
and varies between bliss-induced vocals and a zillion layers of sound. Play
this one loud! The final “White Lights Ascending” reverts slightly to post-rock
with a side of dream pop. It’s a fine ending to a grand album, certainly one of
the best of 2019 and one you should absolutely not miss.
