‘Always/Never’ reminds us of the likes of Drop Nineteens – raw, noisy old-school shoegaze, immensely cathartic and intense. Showered in spacious fuzziness and reverb, the record is a joy for lovers of the genre, a welcome jump into nostalgic and authentic territories, pivoting that raw and sleazy quality so typical of the 90s.
Penned by Portland-based outfit Kallai, ‘Always/Never is also soothing and luscious, wrapping the listener in blissful tones, then counteracting with solid distortions in the anthemic chorus, with enchanting low-volume vocals, drowned in the track’s overall liquid qualities. With all the band’s members stemming from past shoegaze experiences – Trance to the Sun, Lost Echoes, and Luscious Apparatus – such authentic genre prowess is not a surprise. They obviously know what they are doing, and the cultural landscape they are working within.
Gearing up for an upcoming EP later this year, Kallai delves into the lyricism behind ‘Always/Never’: “The song explores an imagined conversation between a woman and her younger self about the relationships of their youth”.
Recommended! Discover ‘Always/Never’ on Spotify:
