SINGLE REVIEW: Buzhold - Woven
Buzhold's ‘Woven’ is a sonic odyssey that grabs you from the first haunting chime of its intro. The opening ambient guitar sets an eerie tone, instantly capturing attention with its chilling reverberations. As the repetition builds, an unsettling sense of unease begins to wash over, creating a soundscape that feels both alien and intimate. There’s a weight to it, like the air is thickening, holding something just out of reach.
When the vocals finally emerge, they carry a feeling of defeat, a melancholic resignation that feels cathartic. The sparse post-rock elements give the track an emotional desolation, as though the world is unraveling. But just as the song threatens to pull you into that abyss, a shift occurs. The sound becomes more dynamic, and suddenly the atmosphere is filled with a lighter, jangled indie rhythm that contrasts with the vocal delivery. Despite the change in tone, the vocals retain a sombre edge, tinged with a touch of whimsy as they float over the shifting instrumentation.
This moment of levity is brief, however, as the track builds again, erupting into a fuller, more forceful sound. The guitars gain weight, becoming thick, textured waves of distortion, while the bassline rumbles in the depths, anchoring the sound. The drums punch through with intensity, propelling the track forward as the grunge influences become even more pronounced. The atmosphere turns thick with reverby haze, encapsulating the track’s raw, unfiltered energy.
But just as the intensity reaches its peak, the song retreats once more into a mellow calm, only to rise again, this time with a dramatic shift in vocal delivery. The vocalist takes on a Morrissey-like cadence, almost theatrical in its melancholy. The final crescendo sees the track building back up once more, weaving all the previously explored textures into a cohesive, powerful journey.
‘Woven’ is a multifaceted experience, blending the raw energy of grunge with the atmospheric allure of shoegaze and the expansive soundscapes of post-rock. It's a track that invites listeners to get lost in its depths, navigating through both its highs and lows, ultimately offering a cathartic, sonically rich experience that lingers long after the final note fades.
