by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Way back in January (if you can remember that far back) we premiered Gentle Heat’s then new single “Ghost Town Hiss.” The Chicago band released an EP at the start of February and in line with starting the year with a bang, they’re ending it with one as well. Set to release Phase, a new two song single on December 6th, the band have never sounded better, expanding their noise pop and shoegaze ability into a freeform shape. The immersive single, while only a pair of songs, feels expertly composed, and wrought with gigantic sweeping movements.
“A Lure,” the singles a-side crashes with the enormity of a tidal wave, a song that uses post-rock structures to make something closer to their usual dreamy shoegaze. The song is confident and colossal, setting tonality and haze firmly in place before traversing from section to section. Everything feels exactly where it should be, and every moment is allowed to breathe, but swift change is always near, as they progress forward with an utter grace, using rich harmonies (buried ever so slightly for fantastic texture) to build toward a crescendo that takes its damn time. It’s pretty stunning and we recommend listening to this one on repeat.