Returning to the limelight after a six-year hiatus, Minneapolis alternative outfit Wastrels have recently unveiled their comeback effort, a double single that encapsulates the mix of psychedelia and escapism they have to offer. Channelling shoegaze and psych rock with wondrous boldness, Wastrels develop a sound that’s partly dreamy and partly melancholic, an aural landscape where listeners are encouraged to lose themselves, transcending their own consciousness.
Soaked in reverb and spacious guitar tones, ‘Bell Jar/Devil Built a Home Where You Once Prayed’ feels reflective and immersive, yet planted firmly in the chaotic reality around us. Exploring the rowdy and furious current state of humanity, Wastrels continually oscillate between coarse gloominess and luscious haziness, offering a listening experience that’s rewarding and introspective, a place where one can stop and look around, albeit for a short fragment of time.
‘Bell Jar’ introduces the record with a slow-paced post-rock ethos, layering distortion after distortion and rolling, euphoric drums. Vocals feel expansive and ethereal, lulling listeners into a false sense of security. ‘Devil Built a Home Where You Once Prayed’ shuffles the sonic picture in favour of darker textures and a more energetic outlook. Watrels are Sahil Merchant, Ben Mulhern, Rich Norris, and Dan Schulte-Sasse.
There’s an upcoming album coming later this year, stay tuned!
Recommended! Discover ‘Bell Jar/Devil Built a Home Where You Once Prayed’ on Spotify:
