Black Doldrums – Dead Awake (Album – Fuzz Club)
Genre/Influences: Rock-Wave, Shoegaze.
Format: Digital, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Black Doldrums was originally set up as a duo featuring Sophie Landers (drums/vocals) and Kevin Gibbard (guitar/vocals). The English duo became a trio by the recent addition of Matt Holt (bass). I found out that the debut album “People’s Temple” was already released in 2017.
Content: There are many influences running through “Dead Awake”, but the music will first of all appeal for lovers of Dark-Wave and Shoegaze. The songs are filled a kind of wafting darkness which is sometimes reminding me of the soft side of Jesus And Mary Chain while other parts are closer to the soft side of Disneyland After Dark.
+ + + : Black Doldrums first of all have created a very unique sound, which is inspired by many influences. But in the end they have something of their own and that’s really precious. I like the guitar playing which is injecting a true spirit and finally resulting in a few brilliant songs like “Now You Know This”, “All For You” and especially “Sidewinder” which sounds like the ultimate apotheosis of the album.
– – – : The work only features 8 songs.
Conclusion: “Dead Awake” is a damned good album I can only recommend if you want to discover something apart from the typical Dark-Wave productions.
Best songs: “Sidewinder”, “Now You Know This”, “All For You”, “Sleepless Nights”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/BlackDoldrums
Label: www.fuzzclub.com / www.facebook.com/FuzzClubRecords
About Black Doldrums
Black Doldrums began as a London duo of Sophie Landers on drums and vocals and Kevin Gibbard on guitar and vocals, later joined by Matt Holt on bass.
The band issued the EP “Exit City Lights” and the single “Sidewinder” in 2016, then the debut album “People’s Temple” on Eggs in Aspic in 2017. The “Sad Paradise” EP and the singles “Trident” and “Those With A Rope Around Their Neck (Don’t Always Hang)” followed in 2018, and the “She Divine” EP on Club AC30 in 2019.
“Dead Awake” came out on Fuzz Club Records in 2022. The band recorded it in London with Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots producing and mixing remotely from Brooklyn, after pandemic restrictions ruled out the original plan to record together in New York. Side-Line published a preview of “Dead Awake” in February 2022, describing it as the band’s debut album; Discogs lists “People’s Temple”, released in 2017, as the first full length. “In Limerence” followed on Fuzz Club Records in 2024.
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
