Bliss Abyss is the brainchild of Peter Wallner, a fixture in the Bay Area who’s made his name playing with several different local acts of various music styles. He’s released a couple of singles over the past few months, in a lead-up to a forthcoming debut album. “Red Disgusting”, the latest, showcases Wallner’s evolved sound that hearkens to the music that influenced him, but also looks forward to a futuristic sound Wallner’s Instagram presence calls “dream punk”.
On “Red Disgusting”, Wallner’s shimmering guitars and Kevin None’s melodic bass give a mix of 80s post-punk and 90s indie, while Josh Unger’s drums give a nice steady beat. You wouldn’t know that Bliss Abyss began as a synth-pop project from hearing this new single. Think later New Order, when the band’s dance beats and heavy reliance on machinery gave way to a more accessible sound without sacrificing the strength of the songwriting.
There is fierce energy behind Wallner’s lyrics and music, forecasting an album where heartbreak is a major theme. But even as Wallner rebukes a love that’s gone sour (like, for instance, a Red Delicious apple that’s gone bad), he pines for that which was once sweet. In the intense music, that desire still shines.
Between the shoegaze onslaught of his previous single “Star” and the grunge-tinged indie sound of “Red Disgusting”, Bliss Abyss’s debut LP is something to be on the lookout for. Take a listen to “Red Disgusting” below.
Written by Will Sisskind
