by Myles Tiessen (@myles_tiessen)
In the tragically dim wasteland of a crumbling world, the last known mortal sounds infinitely pulsate through time in an otherwise humanless environment. The songs found on Crime of Passing’s self-titled debut capture the emotional pronouncements of a species racing towards finality. Apocalyptic melodrama aside, Crime of Passing is a dark, expressive offering from one of Ohio’s most evocative underground post-punk bands. The sophisticated music features all the misanthropy, icy electronic textures, and strident riffs you could expect from a band operating on the border of cold wave and post-punk.
It starts with a swirling electronic buzz that pitches the listener into a liminal sonic arena. Just as you think the sound will echo into obscurity, the drums and bass guitar explode onto the track, generating a haunting and memorable groove. An industrialized guitar riff enters and instantly transforms the song into an exhilarating number that sets the scene for the rest of Crime of Passing to play out. Track one, “Off My Shoulder,” is one hell of an introduction.
Crime of Passing vocalist Andie Luman is an expressive and domineering force throughout the record’s entirety. Her reverb-drenched vocals alternate between understated mumbling and Lydia Lunch-like wails. Luman uses her voice as another texture in the music and explores wondrous melodies or leans into equally effective dismal disarray.
Most of Crime of Passing rests on the divergent powers of melody and violence. Tracks like “Hunting Knife” or “Damrak” are as meditative as they are fierce. They exist in an ethereal state that manages to capture the beauty and terror found when one searches the emotional perimeter of their mind. “Vision Talk” and “Interlude” are pensive and hypnotic. Both songs employ synthesizers to create an atmosphere that works to antagonize the unavoidable decay of darkness.
Crime of Passing exists in a murky, impalpable space. Alongside the undeniable musicality of the band, one of the greatest features of the music is the undeniable emotional responses it elicits. Despite the nearly impenetrable meaning of each song, the tracks on this self-titled debut are like a mirror, forcing you to turn inward and study your own memories, moods, and incipient feelings.