Psychedelic indie synth rock both subtle and seductive – Auld White Label bring back the multi-layered ambient grooves and contemplations of a simpler era, with their striking new EP Tangents.
Beginning with the single Chapter 1, Auld White Label introduce us to a rhythmic choir of whispered vocals, and an atmospheric to industrial production style that feels partly electronic and partly organic or retro in its fusion of hardware and sentimental musings.
The lyrics take something of a backseat initially, these ideas echoing through the realm in a sort of eighties-trip-hop electro-pop fashion. The synths and rhythms follow a similar pathway, and ultimately the music is somehow both confronting and comforting as it gathers secure momentum.
Four tracks in full make up the Tangents EP, U3 Me emerging with a notably more indie style – a guitar-led gem of a track that’s quite beautifully imaginative and almost arena-ready at its ethereal peak.
Tigers follows with a sort of tripped-up industrial rhythm and vastly cinematic wash of synths and reverb-soaked layers. The bassline stands tall, the voice is distant but intriguing, the sound calming and enjoyably colourful. The arrangement here lets that binaural-style warmth really reach out an embrace the listener.
Wrapping things up is another highlight, the melancholic nostalgia of this beat and synth combination making for something that quickly gets the mind wandering. Dirt is a stunning closer, simple lyrics resounding to back up the contrast of heavy fuzz and softness that shines in the production. This track is hypnotic, provocative and bold yet beautiful, and it presents the kind of escapism that feels soothing but also urgent – making you visualise yourself somewhere else, racing somewhere at speed, seeking answers or running from an unignorable past.
Powerful songwriting, and a respectably humble but unique style. Auld White Label have something special about their writing and stylistic approach, and Tangents captures some of the very best of that.
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