Drahla - angeltape

Landing five years after their debut, ‘angeltape’ sees Drahla make an intrepid return, cementing their shift to a much darker, tonally rich sound. It’s not without rekindling the best of their former work, though, with familiar existential questions continuing to permeate through avant-garde arrangements; “Until you reach resistance / How can you ever tell?” poses Luciel Brown in the opening line of ‘Under The Glass’. Placing opposing ideas and structures side by side, there’s an enticing juxtaposition that runs throughout the record. ‘Default Parody’ leans into the unfettered experimentalism of frenetic guitars and erratic sax lines, establishing an abstract take on grappling subject matter. Similarly, interspersed vocals emerge between bleary guitars on ‘Second Rhythm’. And while better executed at certain points than others, the band’s varied selection of instrumental textures remains a defining feature; from the riff-driven frenzy of ‘Talking Radiance’ to the minimalist, piano-led touch of ‘Venus’, there’s an inharmonious harmony that pervades. Clocking in at over five minutes, ‘Grief In Phantasia’ provides a decidedly extravagant finale; underpinned by writhing drumbeats and discordant guitars, visceral lyricism flickers between moments of adversity and liberation. An intentionally fervid record, ‘angeltape’ is one of controlled art-rock chaos, making for a turbulent, but equally enthralling, listen.