Things are about to happen…
These are the words Atlanta shoegazers Absence of Ocean recently posted to their Facebook profile. For fans who have been patiently waiting for the band to step out of the shadows and make their presence felt in the Atlanta scene, it’s welcome news. This is a band, after all, that has technically been around since 2007 (the group, first known as The Bright Lights, then Iconoclast, changed their name to Absence of Ocean in 2009 after the departure of founding member Kyle Sandhage), and has opened for national acts like Nothing, Whirr and Exitmusic. Still, despite a fairly extensive history of performing in the city, the band has released precious little music. In fact, at the time of this post, only their new single, “We Don’t Sleep,” is available for streaming on their SoundCloud and Bandcamp profiles. What’s become of their 2009 self-titled debut is anyone’s guess, but I’d venture to say the trio is likely looking to start over and wipe the slate clean.
With that in mind, let’s examine what “We Don’t Sleep” offers, which is, namely, a sound that aspires to the sort of sublime, upward-climbing shoegaze the band has become known for while also venturing into the dark romanticism of ’80s goth-tinged pop. There are vocals on the track — you can read the lyrics on Bandcamp — but they’re muddled and lost in the song’s noisy din. Sonically they’re just another texture, another hazy veil to layer against the backdrop of dense guitars and clamorous squall of windswept static. The approach isn’t so much about obfuscation as it is about mood-building, and here the band sounds positively radiant, even as they pile on the emotional tension. Listen below.
More Info
Bandcamp: absenceofocean.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @absenceofocean
SoundCloud: @absenceofocean
Twitter: @absenceofocean