Driven by an array of moody electronics, heavy rhythmic pulses, and haunting vocals, WAR is a compelling new three-track release from Athens, Greece-based darkwave duo Hollow Shift. The record masterfully merges moody post-punk tension with compelling soundscapes, delivering an immersive exploration of internal and worldly conflict. The project has caught our ears in the past with stellar releases like the Reload EP and track “Electric Gloom.”
The fantastic three-track release commences with “Hephaestus,” showcasing immediate momentum with its melding of heavy synth pulses, atmospheric guitar tones, and sturdy rhythmic energy. Bell’s vocals emerge with debonair allure, swelling into a fervent “our future…” sequence with escalated guitar distortion. The track’s variation between late-night synthwaves verses and rock-minded hookiness makes for a wholly riveting listening experience. “Nothing Dies Quietly” arrives next, leading definitively with a drum-and-bass maneuvering, deeply resonant in leading to Jell’s reverbed, ghostly vocal presence. Arp-y synths arrive seamlessly, as does a bouncy percussive flair, intermixing playful head-nodding appeal with eerie, nocturnal immersion.
The finale to the release, “Frequencies Will Stumble” is another showcase in quality songwriting, its “no one’s in the right” vocal refrain inducing a thoroughly hypnotic pull, while a midpoint “’til the mountains shrink and spill” bridge plays excellently in building to a lovely second half, where serene vocal layers intermingle alongside the steady electronic backdrops. All three tracks on WAR envelop with melodic stylishness and moody intrigue.
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
