Ruins EP

Tear Talk is a band I’ve been following since their inception, so I’ve been able to see their sound and music grow from humble beginnings. Their new EP, Ruins, represents years of progression that has seen them develop from fairly standard dream pop to sophisticated noise, going beyond their fairly shoegazey roots towards experimentation that bristles up against dance music.

The tracks are laid out perfectly. ‘Decades’ and the title track are the standout tunes, sandwiched between a beautifully slow start and even slower ending. I can imagine shaded figures dressed all in black, shrouded in smoke and shifting awkwardly to ‘Decades’, the mechanical, almost industrial drum track along with the earworm guitar hook forcing them to move in a way they haven’t experienced since New Order.

The title track is a slightly different affair, one that resonates at first through spacey keyboard backing and sparse guitar before the drums kick in, moving the track along, the guitar gradually becoming more apparent. The entire song is drenched in a melancholy I find hard to shake off after every listen, something I always find impressive in a song.

Also noteworthy is the lyrical progressions made by the band. Previously it seemed like words were just thrown on top of the music, but now they have dark meanings and sound like they stand for something. Of everything, it was the lyrics that were following me once I stopped listening to a song.