SINGLE REVIEW: Jazzcat – Concave
There’s something consuming about 'Concave'—a track that doesn’t just play, but fully engulfs you. Jazzcat, the Birmingham-based four-piece, have crafted something hypnotic, weighty, and undeniably immersive. Shoegaze-inspired and drenched in distortion, it moves with a murky, cinematic presence that keeps you locked in from start to finish. There’s a commanding yet uneasy quality to the entire song, as if it’s pulling the listener deeper into its world without ever revealing where it’s leading.
The vocals carry a raw, pained intensity—conflicted and searching, hovering somewhere between knowing and not knowing, between staying and leaving. There’s frustration in the delivery, yet restraint too, as if held just beneath the surface. Gang backing vocals creep in like ghosts, adding an eerie depth that amplifies the song’s dramatic undertones. They drift in and out subtly, enhancing the overall uneasiness without ever feeling overpowering.
Musically, 'Concave' thrives in its ability to feel spacious yet dense, unsettling yet hypnotic. The guitars rumble with weight, drenched in distortion and fuzz, reinforcing the song’s brooding nature. The bass sits low, grounding everything in a murky atmosphere, while the drums charge forward relentlessly, their variation adding a restless energy to the track. It’s immersive, the kind of song that drags you under without needing to rely on sheer volume alone.
As the track unfolds, the sense of turmoil grows—not in a way that screams for attention, but in a way that lingers, pressing in like an unanswered question. The instrumentation shifts subtly, variations on the core guitar motifs weaving into something that feels increasingly uneasy, mirroring the weight of the repeated plea: "Why won’t you tell me what you’re thinking?" There's an atmosphere of darkness and confusion built into every note, pulling the listener further in.
A captivating mix of indie grit, shoegaze haze, and post-rock expansiveness, 'Concave' isn’t just a song—it’s an experience. Jazzcat don’t just perform here; they create—an entire mood, a world that pulls you in and refuses to let go.
