Low Sun – ‘Reservoir Of Impermanent Bliss’.
Low Sun – Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Canada is not the warmest of places a lot of the time and that is something that Toronto two-piece Low Sun a know all to well. What was supposed to be a idyllic winter retreat in a family cottage to record their first full-length release turned into such a variation of this plan that it is almost unbelievable. Except it is believable because it happened an it shaped the album born from it.
Freezing temperatures with only frozen food through fear of blowing the power and constant efforts to keep recording equipment working against the cold. The recording process of three days was completed against piling snow as the band’s Reservoir Of Impermanent Bliss came to fruition in its slow, rhythmic ensemble of Dischord Punk, Post-Hardcore and Grunge.
‘Two Paths’ could have easily come from Fugazi or Embrace but with a slow almost Stoner Rock groove and disinterested Pearl Jam-esque vocals.
The constant change between Spoken Word and slowly sung vocals adds to the melodic darkness of this band with the honest and bare sound and vocal style emanating bleak Punk from the late 80’s and early 90’s when bands had forsaken the speed for other expression. ‘Sacred Grove’ may only be the second track but it is indeed a highlight.
Track three plays more with Grunge as the classic Pearl Jam-esque melodies and vocal style strikes again. The band’s guitar tone seques between this aforementioned Grunge and that of Fugazi’s later work on The Argument in particular but likened to the veteran’s slower a material in general.
What I find most notable about Reservoir Of Impermanent Bliss is that it ticks all the boxes associated with faster, harder and generally speaking more up-tempo and aggressive music in it’s own slow, drawn out way and it is completely immersive and inviting despite its onset gloom. Low Sun would seamlessly fit on a bill with more “traditional” Punk, Post-Hardcore and Alternative Rock bands as much as they would bands as far away stylistically as Progressive and Post-Rock and that is no easy feat. Kudos gentlemen.
You can quite vividly imagine the two-piece sat in that single room with their breath dancing around them in the cold yet with the way this record sounds through all levels of recording and production, the planned aesthetic has been achieved with no trace of the difficulty undergone in any way. Again, Kudos.
It may not seem it, but I am at a loss for words with this release. In the most complimentary way possible I have found it very hard to focus on just one aspect or give a better commentary on each track as I would usually, as Reservoir Of Impermanent Bliss is just that and comes better experienced as one.
The band can be found via Art Of The Uncarved Block below:
- Social Media/Updates: Facebook, Instagram, Official Website.
- Music: bandcamp, bandcamp (label) , Youtube Channel (label).
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