Broken Water
Whet
Radio Is Down
Rating: 4
Upon first listen to Broken Water’s debut LP, Whet, comparisons made to ’90s post-punk pioneers like Sonic Youth are understandable. Closer inspection, however, reveals that the numerous layers of grungy guitars and murky vocals congeal into something deeper.
Each track serves as a tour of the group’s influence with scattered vision. The build-up is nonexistent until that euphoric culmination of muddy lyrics and grungy instrumentation starts again. The opening track, “Say What’s On Your Mind,” is sumptuous and familiar – but it’s not a copy of just any ’90s smoldering grime. It’s a surreal re-working of the era’s signature sounds to create a haunting lo-fi reverb feeling. “Web,” another charmer, is frenetic and chillingly overwhelms you with its fast pace.
That said, post-punk shoegaze junkies would be hard pressed to find fault in this cohesively nostalgic wonder. The album as a whole whets the appetite and situates itself into your head like an earworm. Good stuff.
Give these tracks a listen: “Say What’s On Your Mind” and “Heal”
For fans of: Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Beat Happening
– Vanna Le
