A soundscape of quiet intensity.
The Antler’s seventh studio album, Blight, absorbs the listener into its intimate and immense universe. Known for their unique style, which combines ambient textures with dreamlike indie rock, The Antlers deliver another album that continues their legacy as melancholic, conceptual storytellers. Blight continues the evolution of Green to Gold, their sixth studio album, by developing more soft and introspective songs.
Hospice, the band’s third studio album, was emotional devastation, while Blight feels more like calm acceptance, showcasing their evolution of sound. It’s still just as emotionally charged but more accepting. They layer synths, acoustic guitars and piano to create a complex soundscape that feels almost liquid. The strength of the album lies here; every instrument feels very carefully chosen and fits perfectly with the other. The production still feels lo-fi and earthy like Green to Gold’s sound; however, it feels more cosmic and less grounded.
In the era where loudness dominates mainstream music, Blight uses loudness to add texture to their album. Each track builds from something delicate into a textured swell, using subtle layering rather than volume. The entire album remains somber, but it also features moments that feel expansive and grand. These moments are built up and converge with strong vocal surges and loud synths, like with “Something in the Air.”
Peter Silberman’s vocals are the emotional core of the album. His voice feels soft and intense, tying everything together. The lyrics remain emotionally dense; they center around themes of acceptance and tie in lots of commentary about the state of our environment. On “Pour,” he sings, “What we pour in the soil / Whether poison or oil / Will eventually spoil,” a line that captures deep fragility and emotional accountability. In “Swaddling Clothes,” he whispers, “Who will look after what we leave behind? Still-burning barrier of smoldering pine.” Through layered imagery, he blurs the line between the personal and the environmental.
The Antlers have created something that feels small and infinite at the same time. Blight paints a deeply complex atmosphere that absorbs the listener. Honest sadness is at the core of this band, and they continue to evolve on it in new and complex ways. It is a polished, complete emotional journey that immerses you every step of the way.
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