Pet Shimmers follow up a barrage of singles with their debut record, Face Down In Meta, so we take a listen to the new record with a track by track review.
Pet Shimmers first appeared on the music scene in 2019, releasing several singles which will also be featured on their debut record, Face Down In Meta. Songwriting maestro Oliver Wilde fronts the project and pulls together this seven-piece with precision. Every member contributes in a unique and critically necessary fashion to make the album work. The new record clearly aims to advance the vision first introduced in the 2019 singles, and the early returns say they have succeeded.
Thawed Out Plainclothes Demon opens with a baritone choir greeting. The song checks in at under two minutes and offers a somewhat psychedelic, trance-like feel. This is a smooth intro to the record. Super Natural Teeth then continues with soaring vocal arrangements and well placed, minimal guitars. There is a lot going on here, and it all seems very natural. It’s a fun, sensory overload.
Mortal Sport Argonaut has a nice acoustic guitar intro and spacey synth sounds. I love the synthesizer work throughout this track, and it gives off a calming and happy effect. The vocal arrangement and delivery are exquisite. Such a feel-good rhythm to this one. Duvet Day is a head-nodding delight and an incredibly listenable song. It has a soaring and reflective vibe to it, and it is one of the catchiest tracks on the record. Feels Hz slides in with a lo-fi / shoegaze vibe. It’s very chill and well written. It gives your ears plenty of sounds to choose from, all of which are sonically satisfying.
Angel Made is a swirling and fresh track, taking you on a wonderful ride if you will only let it. I literally felt like I was bathing in sunshine while listening. It’s transporting and dynamic, and a beautiful piece of music. Cheat Codes (THPS2) has more of a sombre feel than the previous track, but with a sense of hope sprinkled in. It’s difficult to put that sentiment to words, but if you get it, you get it. The vocal harmonies are at times chill-inducing.
Coeval Ari keeps up with the formula of feeding you ear candy. And lots of it. This one has a strong bassline and a pleasant layering of sounds. The synth has a Tame Impala influence at times, and the plethora of sounds work together flawlessly. Nobody Me is a catchy and captivating song. It’s dynamic, and the guitars fit the track wonderfully. Post-Dick Circle Fuck then rips in with fantastic song structure and a great tempo. The song features a nice fuzzy guitar sound and continued great arrangement and harmonies. Tyson has an elevating and floating feel to it. It’s actually relaxing and stress relieving, just a nice track.
The record culminates with the nearly eleven-minute track, Crash Tense Dummy. This is simply a beautiful offering, with great melodies and arrangement. It has a haunting and longing sound and has many layers. For me, this song can be transporting, healing, and meditative. As it reaches the climax, it has almost a spiritual feel to it. They end the record on a wonderful note, to say the least.
This is a magically dynamic and chill album from Pet Shimmers, and if your mood is right, it will take you wherever you need to go. This might not be the record that you need every day of your life, but when you do need it, it will be there for you. For me, listening to this one came at a perfect time. I needed it, and now I have it. And you can have it too – just listen.
Score: 5/5
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