Connemara, Galway`s fuzz drenched shoegaze quartet In Athens (Grainne Bleasdale, Manolis Pates, Brian Ruane and Mosey Byrne) release their debut four track EP `Mirrorism` this month.
`Or Anything` leads us in and it`s a dreamy submission with a real edge or anxiousness about it. The band posed an existentialist question when asked about this track with “if nothing truly matters……doesn’t everything then matter equally?.” It`s a delightfully absorbing number with pounding drums, an understated bassline, floating shimmering guitars riffs and a kind of breathlessness in the vocal delivery. A rolling drumbeat drives `Days Into Days` which seems introspective but has an underlying robustness and strength. There`s glistening guitar chord hues and lyrics that may describe a feeling of that spiral of life when it becomes predictable and unremitting leading to dissatisfaction and frustration.
`Tides` I read is a song that captures the ebb and flow of emotional disconnect, vividly portraying relationships that are out of sync, one person reaching out while the other pulls back, a familiar back-and-forth that will strike a chord with anyone who has experienced it. It has a rhythmic drumbeat that pulses throughout with glistening guitar. A composition that felt contemplative and preoccupied. The final cut comes with `Expiration Marks` which kind of awakens with a heavier slow burn vibe and for me had a sense of passing or loss.
`Mirrorism` is a really absorbing and engaging listen and it`ll be intriguing to see how this band develops.
Rating 8.5/10
