Back in the early 90’s, a little band from Dublin called My Bloody Valentine shattered the mould of alternative rock and unintentionally created a genre that would be known as “shoegaze”. The term was coined largely because of the sheer amount of effects pedals used by guitarists that had them constantly staring at their feet during shows. This would eventually become a dirty word amongst bands that were classified within it, much like the 90’s emo movement, and in a similar fashion, current bands that get tarred with the shoegaze brush today, shrug the term off and refuse to be labelled. Whirr are one of today’s band’s who bare this cross, yet on their third full length ‘Sway’, they have created an alternative rock album of their own, which is something truly special.
Whirr have undergone several line up changes in recent years, particularly vocalists, having had Alexandra Morte (Night School, Camera Shy) and Kristina Esfandiari (Miserable, King Woman) among their ranks, and in the past have been centred mainly around Nick Bassett – who’s musical pedigree includes Deafheaven, Nothing, Death Of Lovers, and Camera Shy – taking up the lions share of the writing duties. This time around though on ‘Sway’, their first full length for Savannah, GA label Graveface, the writing was a more collaborative effort. There are no female vocals this time around, the long and drawn out riffs are scaled down, and the comparisons to their contemporaries such as Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine are few and far between, with ‘Sway’ sounding like a band that have created their own sound.
From the fuzzy, reverb laced, punk fury of opener ‘Press’, Whirr draw you into their dream world, as the pounding drums echo from your speakers into your mind. This is followed by the slower, droning ‘Mumble’ with its triple guitar onslaught, that is as ambient as it crushing, which by the time you reach ‘Clear’ you are zoned into another planet. The albums warm, analogue recording shimmers along perfectly, with each song swooning between rich melodies, into thunderous, slow riffs all carried by lush vocals.
Whirr manage to create beautiful soundscapes on the 7-minute long title track, which is the most lyrically open track about missing loved ones, but even though the vocals are low in the mix on this, as they are on all tracks on ‘Sway’, the music itself evokes enough emotion before you have even read the lyrics. The mood is then uplifted once more on ‘Lines’ which resembles the alt-rock styling’s of 90’s darlings Failure and Hum, but soaked in layers of glorious effects. The only criticism to be made on ‘Sway’ is that by the time you reach the albums closing track ‘Feel’, it is over before you have completely immersed yourself in it, with a run time of only 36 minutes. However, the answer to that is simple; hit repeat and get whisked away once again, because Whirr leave you constantly wanting more.
From start to finish, ‘Sway’ is crafted perfectly as the tracks flow wonderfully into one another. The clear appreciation of the aforementioned bands is evident within Whirr’s sound, yet they lay any preconceived notions that they are walking a path well tread to rest. This is more than just another alternative rock album, this is the sound of a dream that has been put to tape, so you can relive it over and over again.
GLEN BUSHELL