Pale Dian
Narrow Birth
Reviewed by: Lauren Rosier
The Austin indie trio of Pale Dian is a fairly new band under that moniker; however, had previously been performing under the name Blackwater Rngrs before making the transition to its current lineup.
Narrow Birth is a remarkable debut, with the trio clearly drawing inspiration from the Cocteau Twins, while still developing a sound of their own. The record opens with a haunting and emotional four-minute intro that introduces the listener to the rest of the album.
The band’s decision to use a drum machine, rather than an actual live drummer, does work well for their sound. It’s light and melds well with the haunting, emotional dream-like sound the band possesses. Self-described as dark pop/shoegaze, the trio also does pull in elements of dream pop, reminiscent of Still Corners and Wild Nothing.
On “Evan Evan,” the airiness of Smith’s vocals paired with the synthesizers create a dream-like atmosphere that takes the listener away to another world. The cheerful spirit and beautifully delivered vocals from Smith make the six-minute track, “In a Day,” one of those songs you hear, and you just yearn to hear more. It’s such a perfectly crafted indie pop song and really showcases the band’s abilities to evoke emotion, and make the listener feel something.
Tracks like “Lonesome Waste” and “Diana” show off the band’s heavier, guitar-driven side and dabbles towards a more of an indie rock direction. Louder guitars paired with clearer vocals from Smith result in a vibe that really works well for them and doesn’t sound like they’re trying too hard.
Pale Dian does an incredible job of guiding the listener from the haunting introduction, through melancholy and emotional tracks, to darker pop and indie rock numbers. They’re able to successfully deliver an impressive debut combining the blissful, dream-like state to the darker, more chilling side, without a clear line of where the emotions lie.
Rating: Bad-Ass
