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For the record, both of these releases could have afforded a full review. The first one I want to address is Blackwater Holylight’s excellent new EP If You Only Knew. The lineup for this Portland, Oregon-based band is Sunny Farris on bass, guitar, and vocals, Sarah McKenna on synths, Mikayla Mayhew on bass and guitar, and Eliese Dorsay on drums.

The band plays a fantastically balanced, ethereal rock that brings together shoegaze, hard indie rock, and doom. The music is fuzzy and floating, but with deliberate melodies and rhythms that will worm their way into your soul, and nice amount of doomy riffs. They have a bit of melancholy, but just as much sunshine and dreamy warmth.

I’m very much a fan of their self-titled 2018 album, but this EP takes their sound to a new level. There is a mastery of the musical space here that is simply arresting. There are only four songs, but they are all great. “Wandering Lost” will certainly be a favorite track this year with its seven-minute rhythmic journey through cosmic paths; I love how it slowly increases in intensity, building upon itself in hazy beauty. “Torn Reckless” has a bit more hard rock in its vein, and its kinetic song structure never lets up, but still the band molds it into something catchy, misty, and wonderful.

“Fate is Forward” is highlighted by a wall of background synth, and I love how it transitions back and forth between reserved emotions and surging fullness. The closer is “All I Need”, a slowburning piece that feels deeply hypnotic even as it launches into shoegazing glory near the end. Each track quite literally feels like they are molding and bending the music as it flows.

Long story short, I love this band and the soothing, artistic music they are producing. This EP is amazing, though I wish it were a full record. They tour constantly, though, so I can imagine the difficulty of writing on the road. Hopefully they come to Ohio sometime soon.

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Winter Gardens is somewhat similar to Blackwater Holylight, though there are significant differences. The band released an EP called Uncomfortable/Unlovable in March. I could not track down lineup info. I’ll add it later if I find it.

The Brighton, UK-based band also plays a floating, ethereal style of music, though it leans more towards dream pop. They sound a bit New Wave at times, a little post-punk in others, and a little synthwave in still other moments. They aren’t like many dream pop bands, though, as they feature some truly spellbinding, surging shoegaze guitars and synth that will leave a mark on you. Two of the seven tracks are mostly instrumental pieces that rock pretty hard. It’s a smoky, dreamy, quick album that you will want to hear again and again. I should mention, too, that the drums are truly fantastic, as are the vocals.

I do find the album to be organized in clever fashion; I like how the title is a combination of two individual track names, but then there is a “U/U” track between them. My favorite songs are “Anthropocene” and “Hyacinth”, both of them shoegaze-y and almost progressive in style. The former has such comforting synth, but it soon rockets into an echoing, soaring guitar rhythm that I could listen to forever. The latter ends the album with a six-minute piece full of off-kilter drumbeats, vaporwave atmosphere, and a charging instrumental portion that is equal parts reserved and thrilling.

Other favorites are “Search Party”, full of great drumming, catchy vocals, and a veritable wall of synth; and “Unlovable”, a vulnerable vocal piece that is emotional and really reminds me of something from gothic metal band Mortal Love. Anyways, this album is short, I know, but it is not short on thrills and huge moments. I’ve listened to this record probably twenty times already, and I don’t see that stopping any time soon.

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Find the bands online:

Blackwater Holylight Facebook

Blackwater Holylight Bandcamp

Winter Gardens Facebook

Winter Gardens Bandcamp

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