pg.lost

Oscillate

Written by: KW on 24/01/2021 19:41:02

The emotional post-rock powerhouse that is Sweden’s pg.lost is finally back with some more cinematic, instrumental soundscapes to soothe our ears. Being one of the premier bands within the genre in my opinion, blending the well known crescendo song structures and soaring tremolo guitars with heavy beats and non-lyrical vocals à la Sigur Rós, it is always an event I am very much looking forward to. I did not expect their newest material to be this monumental though, as pg.lost have quite simply outdone themselves with “Oscillate”.

Their tried and tested formula has not exactly been revolutionized but everything on display here just sounds tighter, heavier and even more grandiose than usual. The opening title track is quite perfectly named, as the main synth arpeggio hypnotically oscillates and evolves through the entire seven and a half minutes, while the pounding drums and layered guitars lead up to a dramatic finale in style. The production is absolutely massive and is definitely a major player in making this album sound larger than life. “E22” and “Mindtrip” both see the band turning down the drama a nudge to focus more on groove and chilled out vibes, where especially the latter sounds almost like a happy psych-rock track with its wobbling lead guitar melodies and carefree attitude, becoming one of the more accessible songs found here, and introducing a pretty unique sound onto the band’s palette.

“Shelter” is without a doubt one of the main highlights here though, and already a classic pg.lost track to me. It is immaculate in its twists and turns, with just the right amount of melodrama that makes your skin crawl from the sheer beauty of the intertwined guitar melodies and sensitive falsetto vocals. pg.lost have always been very good at closing out their albums with a bang, and the two last tracks on “Oscillate” are equally astonishing in their own respects. “Eraser” ranks among the heaviest tracks the band has produced thus far and includes an absolutely neck-straining build-up to the biggest wall of sound on the album in all its overwhelming glory. “The Headless Man” is the somber, yet hopeful finisher after the pummelling by the former track, sounding Mew-like with its dreamy atmosphere and orchestral climax.

“Oscillate” will not change the post-rock landscape dramatically, but it is just incredibly well written through and through and impactful in almost every aspect. The production is stellar, the climaxes as drop-dead gorgeous as ever, and the emotional impact powerful enough to leave a lump in my throat several times without even one lyric spoken. That is the hallmark of a post-rock album that achieves everything it is supposed to, and as such, “Oscillate” is probably the group’s best release thus far — even though it already had a lot to compete with.

9

Download: Oscillate, Shelter, Eraser, The Headless Man
For the fans of: Caspian, God Is An Astronaut, sleepmakeswaves, Tides From Nebula
Listen: Facebook

Release date 20.11.2020
Pelagic Records

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