Blue Tomorrows – Without Color
An oasis of tranquil dream-pop, Web Of Sunsets‘ deeply calming Chaos Waltz was one of 2017’s undisputed – but underreported – highlights. The band’s Sarah Nienaber (also of the similarly styled Candace, whose latest LP is worth a listen too) is now striking it out alone from her Portland basement as Blue Tomorrows.
The equally chill Without Color is her debut album under the name and it’s one that envelops you immediately, its blissfully soft percussive strokes and laid-back melodies ebbing and flowing on some idyllic shores. Nienaber’s hushed vocal is like slipping into a candlelit bathtub with Hope Sandoval. Charming woodblock percussion and echoing guitar chimes reverberate around her home-recording space beautifully. And, strewn amidst this breath-takingly fragile slowcore twinkle pretty synth pattering and shimmering guitar tones, a mid-distance spoken-word sample fitting in nicely into the dip and swoop of shimmering guitar tones and heart-wrenching ambience on “Seashell Foxtrot”, the lightly countrified title-track a soporific shuffle full of sun-bleached wooziness too.
Even on “Blackstone”, which plugs in the drum machine for the album’s punchiest number, it’s still like being pummelled by pillows. There truly won’t be many more satisfying listens this year. Without Color is a precious little pop record that simply deserves more recognition than it’ll get.
Best track: “Sonoma Mt. Rd. (Deep Summer)”
~Without Color is released September 13th 2019 via Moon Glyph.~