-=- SHGZ -=-
* Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal *
ARTIST..: Chain Wallet
ALBUM...: No Ritual
GENRE...: New Wave
STYLE...: Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
YEAR....: 2019
LABEL...: Jansen Records
COUNTRY.: Norway
PLACE...: Bergen
ENCODER.: FLAC 1.3.1 -8 -V
BITRATE.: 936 kbps avg
QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / 2 channels
SOURCE..: CD
TRACKS..: 10
SIZE....: 214.66 MB
URL..: http://www.facebook.com/chainwalletband/
- TRACKLIST
1 Lost Somewhere 3:29
2 Final Testament 3:30
3 Ride 3:14
4 Closer 3:00
5 What Everybody Else Could Find 3:13
6 Liminality 1:42
7 Knowing Eyes 3:14
8 No Ritual 3:44
9 World I Used To Call Mine 3:00
10 Inner Space 3:32
Total Playtime: 31:38
Bergen's Chain Wallet seemed to emerge from the ether with their debut album,
an imaginative, continually reflective piece of dream pop.
Matching shimmering guitars to that nagging sense of melancholy, the band
reflected the influence of everyone from The Clean to Ride, Beach Fossils to
Johnny Marr.
New album 'No Ritual' finds the Norwegian group testing themselves further,
adding fresh ideas in the process.
Production comes from Matias Tellez, while the songwriting itself reflects a
feeling of stasis or limbo.
The title cut airs on Clash, and the dappled guitar effects seem to linger in
mid-air, a zero-gravity effect that slumbers out of the stereo.
An intriguing return, it's sonically beautiful, while retaining its secrets
to the last. Tune in now.
*
A Post-Apocalyptic Dive
Chain Wallet is the sound of dreamy mythologies presented in widescreen,
while simultaneously nodding back to an era where everything was in
four-by-three. Picking up where the hazy, melancholic and undeniably catchy
debut left off, the band now returns with a lusher û and at the same time,
more eerie û sound.
While Chain Wallet's first album was dreamed up in their rainy hometown of
Bergen, the sophomore effort No Ritual found them emerging to a small cabin
on a remote beach in the southwest of Norway. Here, among surfers û and while
walking the beaches û they found out what kind of album they were going to
make.
While you still can catch a glimpse of Mary Chain here or Johnny Marr there,
Chain Wallet are really establishing their own musical identity with No
Ritual. Playing an important part in expanding the band's sound on this
record is Chiara Cavallari of the psychedelic shoegaze band FOAMMM. The guys
say: "We had been wanting to collaborate with Chiara for a long time, and her
ethereal presence is fortunately scattered all over the album."
Both of Chain Wallet's albums have followed loose and murky storylines about
a conflicted protagonist. Where the first album revolved around themes like
unresolved ambition and attempts of letting go of the past, No Ritual finds
our anti-hero in state of spiritual limbo, while reaching out and trying to
establish new symbolic meanings. The album is a post-apocalyptic dive into
the mythical life of the millennial mind.
*
Norwegian dream pop band Chain Wallet's debut album blew me away when I first
heard it. Every track was so catchy, so good and it's an album I continue to
listen to at least twice a week. Their follow-up is No Ritual and I can see
this being another album I listen to for years to come.
If there's one word I can say about this album is it's consistent. It's
consistent with their debut album and that's great to me. Considering I
thought their debut was pretty much flawless, the same can be said with No
Ritual. The new album has some songs that feel darker and not as poppy as the
first album.
The first track "Lost Somewhere" is a good example of what to expect with No
Ritual. The synth-y goodness is all still there, but the songs feel more
layered, if that makes any sense. "Final Testament" is a track with a nice
blend of pop and moodiness to it. The first song I heard from the album was
their single "Ride" and it's everything I expected from the band. It's got a
catchy chorus & riffs and I find myself singing "I want to ride!!!" over and
over when I hear it.
"Closer" is a slower-tempo song but a welcome change to the upbeat songs that
fill up the album. It stands out to me because it's vastly different from the
other tracks. There's a female guest vocalists on the track as well, Chiara
Cavallari of the shoegaze band FOAMMM. I like a lot of female fronted
dream/synth pop bands so it makes sense for her to guest sing on the track.
I'm going to check out FOAMMM now because her voice sounds great. Chain
Wallet should have more female guests on the album because it just fits.
What I love about Chain Wallet is of course the vocals from Stian, but also
the synthesizer and the guitars. The guitar playing from Christian has a
Johnny Marr feel to it, and it really shins in a few songs this album. I
particularly liked watching and hearing the guitars live as well. The guitar
and synthesizer stand out in the next track "What Everybody Else Could Find."
"Liminality" is an instrumental track that reminds me of Tron: Legacy in the
beginning, but then feels like something out of Stranger Things. I think this
would be another band that would be awesome at film & TV scores if they ever
wanted to go that route.
The title track "No Ritual" could be the best track on the album, but I
certainly love "Ride" as well. Again, love the guitars on this song and the
chorus is catchy as hell. Out of all the songs on the album, I find myself
going back and listening to this one the most. It's the song that reminds me
of the 80s the most, perhaps why I like it a lot.
I thought it might be hard to top Chain Wallet's debut album but the band has
come out with another killer album. Not a bad song on the album and each
track offers up something different. I would say my only complaint is it
feels too short but perhaps that's the intent? Keep the fans wanting more I
guess.
*
Chain Wallet is the sound of dreamy mythologies presented in widescreen,
while simultaneously nodding back to an era where everything was in
four-by-three. Picking up where the hazy, melancholic and undeniably catchy
debut left off, the band now returns with a lusher û and at the same time,
more eerie û sound.
While Chain Wallet's first album was dreamed up in their rainy hometown of
Bergen, the sophomore effort No Ritual found them emerging to a small cabin
on a remote beach in the southwest of Norway. Here, among surfers û and while
walking the beaches û they found out what kind of album they were going to
make.
While you still can catch a glimpse of Mary Chain here or Johnny Marr there,
Chain Wallet are really establishing their own musical identity with No
Ritual. Playing an important part in expanding the band's sound on this
record is Chiara Cavallari of the psychedelic shoegaze band FOAMMM. The guys
say: "We had been wanting to collaborate with Chiara for a long time, and her
ethereal presence is fortunately scattered all over the album."
Both of Chain Wallet's albums have followed loose and murky storylines about
a conflicted protagonist. Where the first album revolved around themes like
unresolved ambition and attempts of letting go of the past, No Ritual finds
our anti-hero in state of spiritual limbo, while reaching out and trying to
establish new symbolic meanings. The album is a post-apocalyptic dive into
the mythical life of the millennial mind.
-=- SHGZ -=-
P.S.
** Thanks ***
*** BCC FNT IPC SSR ***
*** For Knowing Where The Music Is At ***
*** Props to CaHeSo, awesome Asian Indie/Shoegaze ***
*** And to FANG/HOUND for supporting all the Indie lovers out there ***
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* NuHS we miss you! *
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