Successfully infusing elements of serene dream-pop, textural shoegaze, and murky post-punk, “Esc” is a winning new track from The Mudd. Based out of Groningen in the Netherlands, The Mudd cite influences such as Ride, Sonic Youth, and Slowdive; I’m especially reminded of the latter throughout “Esc.” Passionate, stirring vocals are accompanied by percussion more accelerated than typical dream-pop, though with a lusher bass line more suitable. As such, there’s a post-punk fervor attributed to both the percussion and general darkness of the soundscape, with the vocals adjusting aptly in intensity throughout between escalating verses and lovely bursts of emotion, like at 01:35 — “fear of moving things along.” “Esc” immerses with a gripping textural pull and emotively charged melodic escalations.
“Esc” releases ahead of The Mudd’s upcoming EP Look at Me, out on October 16th.
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“Esc” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of October 2020’ Spotify playlist.
The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Dream-Pop.
