Swedish artist Shadow Antlers’ new album Outside Belongings is a moody, immersive success — strutting a compelling darkwave sound amidst themes of escape, feeling like an outsider, and ecstatic abandon. Drawing on early post-punk and avant-darkwave influences, the album fuses breakneck basslines, shimmering guitars, and visceral vocals into a brooding yet electrifying world — one shaped by Jakob’s own tug-of-war with normality and a pull toward the chaotic and the wild.
“Trails” opens the album with a darkly impactful ferocity, rumbling with bass-y reverberations and stomping rhythms amidst trickling synths and visceral vocals. Its ascent from chilly guitars into a distorted ardor makes for a riveting listening experience. The ensuing “The Bay” is another gem, absorbing with interplay of thunderous rhythms and post-punk guitar chilliness, stirring as the “leave all of your suffering at bay” vocal plea emerges. “Leave your longings by the shoreline.” The track is a tour-de-force in emotive intensity.
“Sycamore” is also amongst the many highlights. Its late-night guitar jangling intertwines with sturdy synth pulses and an infectious beat, for a melodically immediate charm. “Witches” shifts back into the dreamier, eerie realm — with ghostly vocal backings exuding a whisper-y immersion amidst forlorn guitars. Excelling across both dark intrigue and hooky atmospherics, Outside Belongings is an enveloping album from Shadow Antlers.
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
