Drenched in reverb and buried under layers of feedback-laden guitars, “Deathconsciousness” is a painfully lo-fi, yet disarmingly gorgeous listening experience. There is a sense of fractured beauty as the breathtaking harmonies float over waves of distortion and echoing drums. The songs walk a thin line between elegance and chaos as the vocals struggle to stay afloat amidst the engulfing chords that surround them.

“A Quick One Before The Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut” is an ethereal, dreamlike opener that pairs a calming guitar melody with celestial sounds that breeze between the notes. After the ambient introduction, the album shifts over to a collection of dark, looming masterpieces. “The Big Gloom” slowly builds itself up before embarking on a truly dramatic coda where frantic strings are punctuated by deep bass and haunting vocals. “Holy Fucking Shit: 40,000″ features an electronic undertone and delicate guitar chords that quickly turn to chaos at the midway point, while “The Future” is an uptempo burner that verges on traditional rock. “Earthmover” brings the album to an astonishing close and exemplifies everything that’s great about this album: the combination of abrasive noise and fragile charm.

“Deathconsciousness” is the soundtrack for a night of contemplation and deep thought. It’s a record that begs you to play it while you’re at your loneliest, but it doesn’t enable self pity; instead it is relaxing and reassuring. Sure, this is essentially a dark album, but rather than being overly depressing, “Deathconsciousness” allows you to find comfort within its immense walls of sound.

by Kyle