Review: Gnoomes ‘Losey’
Combining elements of krautrock, shoegaze and techno and wrapping it all together in the term stargaze, Russian outfit Gnoomes take us on a journey of self-discovery with Losey, their sixth release on Rocket Recordings. Having taken the decision to leave their homeland, Sasha Piankov and life partner Masha, now live in the isolated Slovenian countryside, where it’s allowed them to expand their minds and create these seven songs.
Opening with Foreign Agent, beautiful vocal harmonies cascade over the simple drumbeat, provided by their old bandmate Pasha Fedoseev. The duo tells us that the lyrics reflect upon the ‘pressures of the Russian state’, but the guitar tone has that dreamy, fuzzy tone that the genre is known for.
The album sees them more liberated, allowing greater creativity to flow through their music, like on May Night, which has a strange yet alluring feel to it, almost as if they sense their freedom and are fully expressing themselves. Yet, this is in direct contrast to how the album was created, as the duo barely left the house, stating that ‘those circumstances pushed us to find a new format’.
The album sees them more liberated, allowing greater creativity to flow through their music…
The title track, Losey, is next; the EDM/techno part of the mix kicks in with the repetitive beats and echoed dual vocals. This is one of my favourite songs on the album, as it explores different avenues and sees them fully released from their metaphorical chains. They follow this with yet more electronica as Repeat Repent fires out of the speakers. It’s a sublime track and takes me back to my old rave days in the ‘90s, as the notes clash and bounce off each other alongside the robotic-style vocal, which enhances the sonics.
The duo comment that ‘this album is for weirdos, romantics and anyone burned out with the world’ as we are transported to another dimension with Shakshuka And Pie, a track inspired by none other than Paul McCartney. The positivity oozes out of each composition, with the EDM influence again at the forefront of this vibrant and upbeat number, before Satan’s Ball bounces along.
Influenced by Russian playwright Mikhail Bulgakov and Mancunian post-punk legends Joy Division, it’s a song that’s not just mesmerising but chilling and captivating in equal amounts. I can imagine this in a club, with lasers firing everywhere as the beat drops and bodies dance their lives away, leaving all their sadness and woes behind them. The album ends with Crangonyx; more evocative and emotional lyrics give an atmospheric touch to the proceedings as the duo flourish and let their emotional baggage depart.
Label: Rocket Recordings
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
