We are positively impressed by Hollow Shift’s icy, intense and gloomy sonic imprint. Navigating gritty dark wave, nostalgic post-punk and hints of goth decadence, the Greek outfit has managed to build an aural world that’s daring, fearless, and mightily interesting, never descending into overdone clichés and always keeping it all fresh and relevant. ‘Reload’ is the perfect evidence of that. The Athens-based duo’s latest EP, the record sees Hollow Shift doubling down on what they do better: reflective, raw lyricism framed into dark and brooding electronic production.
For the ones bold enough to delve into ‘Reload’ (and we put ourselves in such a category), the reward is surprisingly immersive and hypnotic. Packed with five tracks, the record takes us from cinematic beginnings and nocturne synthwave vibes (‘Play the Game’) to functional minimalism and goth-inspired melancholia (‘All Alone’), passing through the title-track’s cosmic-dance influences and kinetic potential. However you look at it, there’s no doubt on what ‘Reload’ ultimately is: an aural black hole providing a large amount of decadent escapism, a slice of gloomy nostalgia delivered with restless retro allure and mercurial restraint.
Hollow Shift’s lyricism follows the same thematic cues, looking inwards but also outwards, always with a fragile, sombre outlook. Delving deeper into ‘RELOAD’, the group explains: “On this new EP, we pulled toward rhythms and textures that are more kinetic and immersive, the band says. But we never wanted to lose that sense of emotional shadow – that tension between movement and introspection that makes Hollow Shift feel like a room you can’t escape from.”
Recommended! ‘Reload’ is out now everywhere: