I’ve been steadily working my way through an ArcTanGent playlist lately, and if it isn’t obvious by now, I’m properly looking forward to the festival. There are so many bands I’m just discovering at the moment, which only adds to the excitement. One of those top finds has been a London-based four-piece called Wildernesses.
Growth is the debut album from the group, and it’s a cracker. This is a band whose influences are right there on their sleeve, yet they’ve made them unique through their own interpretation built on melody and some really carefully considered placement. The record opens with “Sleepless”, which serves as an instrumental sonic palette of what’s to come. The atmosphere in those opening moments is masterfully built up before crashing into an explosion of distortion, shimmer, and wash. What follows is, essentially, a story about life.
“Happy Hollow” centres on solitary escapism, while “[dread]” focuses on anxiety; both of these tracks tap into deep feelings of melancholy. This flows into “English Darkness”, which provides insight into mental health challenges as told from the perspective of Phillip Morris – the band’s vocalist and guitarist who also works as a mental health Social Worker. There’s a powerful use of building tension here that leads to a brilliant release. “Terrible Bloom” carries on that vibe with a profoundly sombre atmosphere of solitude and pain.
“Maintenance” was the song that initially caught my attention when it dropped as a single, and I was immediately hooked. The individual talents of the band members are on full display here, finding room for a little less sonic restraint and creating a massive wave of distortion. We soon wash upon the shores of “Cassino”, an instrumental reflection on family heritage, before “Four Hour Drive” takes us back in time. That one left me with a real sense of longing, and I particularly enjoyed the dreamy latter half that feels like being carried off into a distant memory.
“Summertime, 1917” closes out the album. It’s drawn from love letters unearthed during a house renovation and reflects much of the rest of the album through that narrative. Growth is a stunning body of work with incredible emotional weight. Phillip Morris’ lyrics and vocals are signature components of what makes this stand out, alongside the way he and Sam Howe create those memorable guitar melodies that ring out with that distinct “post-gaze” or shoegaze sound. Mark Portnoi (bass) and Ryan Browne (drums) create a solid foundation that really shines, even in the more restrained moments.
If you’re a fan of the likes of Bon Iver, Slowdive, or Explosions In The Sky, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy this one. Above all, if you just like good music that comes from a real place, you’ll love it as much as I did.
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Growth is out March 27th
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