by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
There’s a sense of patience inherent in Vessel’s debut album. The Atlanta based post-punk quartet took their time and it shows in the end result, the upcoming Wrapped In Cellophane, a marvelous record of immersive songs and vibrant grooves. Formed during the pandemic by a group of friends seemingly looking for an outlet, they spent years writing songs, scrapping what didn’t stick, and eventually landing on one of the more impressive debuts we’ve heard in a while. Due out April 2nd via Double Phantom Records, Vessel’s music is dynamic, bouncing through disjointed skronk one moment and intertwined in dense melodies the next. Led by Alex Tuisku, who handles vocals and drums, it makes sense that the rhythms and hooks are given equal focus, bright spots with a locked-in pulse that allows the rest of the band to flood the mix with any and all textures (much of which is provided by Isaac Bishop’s shimmering saxophone).
With the record out on Tuesday, Vessel are offering one more sneak peak, the album’s third single, “Blonde”. Wrapped In Cellophane is an album at home with juxtapositions, contorting serious sentiment and concerns into something lively and high-spirited. There’s an importance to the subject matter, even in the more surreal moments, and there’s an importance in their unflinching boogie. With “Blonde,” there’s a grave heaviness to the lyrics, a song described in press materials to be written about “a lesbian love affair unfolding in a psych ward and ending in tragedy”. While a somber tale of life and love lost, Vessel create an engaging and up-beat structure, the tempo only slightly pulled back from their more exuberant songs. Bishop’s sax glides into a mesmerizing groove with both the bass and drums, as the band swirl into an extended instrumental, letting the impact of the lyrics to settle, reflection in motorik abandon.