“Just know that you can try your best for me, but it’s hopeless.“
We seem to live in the age of noise. Most outlets seem to be in the business of loudness and hastiness, in one ear and out the other at full blast. Across genres, there is an immediacy to capture the mind, rather than have a record that draws back into the grains of its sound, and leads the ear towards exploration. This intent has been the mission of Wildernesses since their unveiling on “Four Hour Drive“. Through its ruminations and extended instrumentals, it draws in and allows the emotive content to be held within. This has been further proven on following singles, and now Wildernesses seek to put their best foot forward on their debut, Growth.
In an almost 90s shoegaze fashion, Growth opens on “Sleepless“, an extended instrumental track that defines the stylistic reverb and plucked chords that are to come on the record. It has that welcoming sense of familiarisation, a gentle wade into the waters of Wildernesses‘ sound rather than a head first plunge. It transitions neatly into “Happy Hollow” with an absolute ease. The journalistic style of its lyrics enter here, as Morris laments “All I want to do is watch the X-files online, all I want to do read Tchaikovsky all night“, which will come across as akin to that as what The National have done in their work over the years.
What comes through on both “Happy Hollow” and later track “English Darkness” is that British melancholia and gloom that has woven itself throughout many records over the years. Whether it was on Joy Division‘s record Closer that saw itself as Ian Curtis‘ final work, or even in a more exuberant fashion on the various pieces by The Smiths, it is one that is defined by its ordinariness and repetitiveness. The latter seems to instil itself through the line “And I have trouble sleeping, in the English darkness” that recurs throughout the track. Meanwhile, all the instrumentals have that quiet force, pushing a sense of simply getting through it all. Each bass strum and guitar harmony seems like a gentle yet moving force, driven to light the way through a haunting nature.
Wildernesses lean into the alt and post-rock stylings across the record too. “Four Hour Drive” is the most grandiose of these, in a similar strain to what October Drift produced on Forever Whatever with emotive lyrical high-points, contrasted by lamenting guitar chords that traverse the released emotions. It’s in these moments where Wildernesses‘ timing seems impeccable, as each crash or extra brush of the guitar has a focus to it, performed in a succinct fashion. This weightiness to Wildernesses‘ sounds comes out at its best on “Maintenance“. As the brooding bass line enters and the lyric of “Been thinking a lot, that the problem is me” is uttered, the sombre nature overcomes the track with an immediacy that keeps building throughout. Each melody has that weight on the chest feeling that sorrow brings.
The reflective nature of “Summertime, 1917” and its examination of the passage of time gives a cathartic air to close out Growth, while doing so in a way feels very human. This track showcases what makes this record memorable, with all its heart and imperfections. To be backed with such craftsmanship only adds to this, each strum adding to the overcast atmosphere that Growth presents. Yet this only feels like the starting point for Wildernesses – there is much to build out sonically to make them more distinct from their counterparts. The record that follows this could see Wildernesses achieve even greater heights.
7.5/10
Growth is set to release on March 27th via Floodlit Recordings, and can be pre-ordered here.