We supported regularly San Francisco-based band Topographies from the beginning for its distinctive and innate ability to weave genres into a seamless and cohesive beautiful sound, especially those dearest to us, as shoegaze, post-punk, wave and dream-pop, almost to embody the spirit of the blog, just the electronic leanings are missing to complete the picture, but who knows, now that the drummer has been replaced by the drum machines, Underworld-like skipping and rumbling rhythms or off-kilter trip-hop Massive Attack style? only time will tell …
The actually 3-piece, made of Jérémie Rüest (guitar and synth), Justin Oronos (bass and synth) and Gray Tolhurst (vocals, guitar, lyrics), the latter easily recognizable from his surname as the son of a member of the iconic band that has heavily influenced many of our existences, especially my teenage years, whose musical background and talent seem to have benefited by such heritage, is on the verge of finally satisfying our anticipation with the announcement of the debut album “Ideal Form”, previewed by the new single “Rose of Sharon”, slated to be released on Louisville independent label Funeral Party Records, at the very start of December 2020.
Deeply emotive and nostalgic, infused with a spiritual intensity lingering within the observational lyrics, surprisingly in awe and enchanted by the thriving beauty found in a flower grows in the desert, “Rose of Sharon” triggers sizzling lashing synthetic rhythms that pound and pulse relentlessly along deep serpentine bassline, shrouded in spacious fluttering waves of warm, airy synths and a hazily ethereal spider web of reverb-dusted glistening guitar lines, as gauzy, pensive vocals, brimming with bittersweet emotions, float and fall peacefully toward the enlightenment.
It will be a long wait until December, but it could be the perfect Christmas gift you have been looking for.
