By Ashley Paskill
For those who live on this earth, panic is a natural thing to experience, whether it is on a small scale or on a higher-than-natural level. It can be difficult to get this feeling out in the open in a way that people can physically grapple with and at least attempt to understand. Luckily for people who struggle with having no one to relate to, there is Black Moth Super Rainbow, an electronic/experimental band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their latest album, Panic Blooms, captures the ups and downs of experiencing a period of panic.
The song names alone can be enough to instill panic in listeners. From the album title track, “Panic Blooms,” to “Baby’s in the Void” and “Sunset Curse,” these images can be visual enough to cause panic. For others, the varying song lengths in a random order can cause emotional turmoil.
For those brave enough to venture beyond these and listen to the music itself, the sounds perfectly encapsulate what panic feels like. Some tracks are left hanging without coming to a tonal conclusion, while others seemingly drop off a cliff mid-phrase. The overall atonal sound of the album may seem like something that is off-putting, and it usually is to most, but in the context of trying to create the sound of panic and emotional turmoil, it fits perfectly and creates the intended feeling.
The album starts off quietly but then swells to louder sections and tracks. It constantly goes from quiet, calm moments to moments of intensity and calamity. These variants a sporadic, appearing when the listener least expects it. This is a perfect embodiment of a panic attack or just the brief feeling of panic.
“Panic Blooms” leads the album with a panic-inducing intro. The intro sounds like the melody from the first couple notes of the intro phrase but then ventures into something unexpected, leaving unsuspecting listeners confused and wanting the familiar.
The final song on the album, “Mr. No One,” is the only song with a cohesive melody and beat to it. This is the best way to end this album since it ties it up into a nice package. This may not always be the case with panic, but the end of panic is always a tonic relief, which is the case with this song as well.
Overall, the album does its job at conveying the message of how it feels like to experience panic. From the buildup and blossoming of panic in the first song to the relief of the panic in the last song, this album is perfect for those who need someone to relate to their stress, anxiety, and panic.
