Sonic Transistor is a band from Rome, Italy, and their debut album is called Floodgaze. Their sound is very interesting, especially the drums. I can’t tell if they are programmed or played (and I should know, I am a drummer!!), as the beats are quite mechanical in feel and sound, which defines this album’s sonic identity. The bass lines are pretty tight and fat, and the drums build the foundation for the overall sound.
One can always only guess what the artist’s influences are. When it comes to the guitars and vocals, imagine bands like the Smiths and Joy Division, but with the knob turned all the way up to 11, in terms of spaciousness and atmosphere. There are big reverbs and punky, fuzzy, quite lo-fi guitar sounds with riffs that bring to mind grunge bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden and a little bit of The Smashing Pumpkins. But everything is dirtier and more washed away than the artists above. In songs like ‘Far Lights’, I can hear a bit of Trent Reznor and also hints of Placebo in ‘Morning Dew’ and ‘Layers Of Sky’.
Personally, I really like this sound. Coming from a much heavier background, I have enjoyed albums on the edge of black metal that sound similar to Sonic Transistor. These tracks are tracks that I can play really loud on my speakers and let the textures and soundscapes fill the room, which I actually did. The loudness creates a wonderful wall of sound effects.
I wouldn’t mind some big, catchy vocal hooks with a crisp sound on top of this musical foundation, but that’s just my personal preference. More importantly, that isn’t the vibe or intention of this album. The vocals are used more like an instrument here instead of the most common approach, which would be more lyrical and melodic, clean and upfront.
There are not many words; the vocals are primarily sung in a minimalistic melodic pattern, quite repetitive and hypnotic. That approach ultimately makes the sound more cohesive and interesting, but I definitely welcomed Kioko’s backing vocals in ‘Morning Dew’. It would be great if they used more female vocals to add some extra dimension to the overall vibe.
I am not a big connoisseur of shoegaze, but I think this one sounds more out of the ordinary, which is great. And the fact that the album is called Floodgaze kind of describes their sound for me! The overall soundscapes and textures do come at you like a flood.
Written by Spiros Maus
