colourblind
Move Like You


4.4
superb

Review

by owl beanie EMERITUS
November 3rd, 2018 | 83 replies


Release Date: 2018 | Tracklist

Review Summary: A rock and a hard place and another rock and also another hard place and additionally just heaps and heaps more rocks and hard places.

If you took psychology in high school or otherwise know how to read words on the internet (if the latter isn’t you: uhhhh) you’ll have heard the term ‘fight or flight’. In psychology, the phenomenon is defined by the body’s options in response to a perceived threat – an extreme reaction reserved for extreme circumstances. It’s either away or through. The terrifying and immobilizing thing about neuroses, though, is how we’re rendered incapable of doing either, and often the only thing that remains to a person struck by mental illness is the all-encompassing, all consuming fog of desperation. Whenever it’s You versus You (or, more specifically: you versus your brain) the most likely outcome is the familiar one. That is: you, clawing around in the dark for a light switch, except the light switch is moving constantly and for some reason it keeps telling you that you’re veryveryveryvery fucking bad, mostly. Any attempt at fight or flight here is marked by a sense of futility; indisposed and incapacitated, a whole lot of very little. All this is to say that Move Like You is an animal trapped in a cage.

Typing all that feels cheesy as hell, but the wonderful and refreshing thing about this EP is how listening to it – in all its faithful emo/melodic hardcore recreations and well-worn sentiments --doesn’t. If there’s one thing that needs to be stressed about the songwriting here, it’s that its candid, honest about not knowing what the fuck is going on, and therefore aware of the restraint-release dynamic that so many emo bands forget to implement. Backbone holds off on the explosion when you most expect it, lending the final hook the room it needs to land, and Fleas, a short screamo-esque interlude, ruptures and spills out into a landscape of dissonance and feedback only to introduce the driving and determined march of the title track.

But emo-cum-hardcore-cum-punk-cum-alt-rock is not, and most likely never will be, defined by its ability to keep itself and the emotions it conveys in check. Here, more than ever, that lack of control is palpable in the vocal performances, but it isn’t grating or childish or indolent; rather, it’s necessary. If I’m correct, and the record is about desperation, either deliberately or by proxy of its tonal qualities, the belted chorus of Entice Me and the screams in Water effectively engender the idea that, dammit, we’ve tried everything to not feel horrible and yet we still do.

As if in two minds the EP still has moments of submission; “I’ll never escape the way that I’m feeling until the day that I’m dead” goes The Weather Song, but Colourblind still act out as if there’s a chance that’s not true. And, in this, the subject matter often reflects the music that lashes and writhes around beneath it. The title track, which is also (very deliberately) the final song on the EP, winds itself down into an outro that feels like a the-walls-are-closing-in type resignation; a final breath hyperaware of its role as a conclusion. Backing vocals and lead vocals bleed into each other for an altogether deranged and sad and somehow beautiful yin-yang. The refrain “Not living / Not leaving” matches that slow walk into nothing perfectly, illustrating the kind of limbo that can make you feel like an animal trapped in a cage. Except the cage is your anxiety, your insecurity and self-loathing, your sadness. And the cage door is open but you can’t bring yourself to leave. Or whatever.

An omission: it’s worth mentioning that even though this EP is (perhaps) a fruitless search for whatever coping mechanisms one can find under couch cushions, through shifting senses of self, behind closed eyelids; performance and production-wise it’s polished and self-assured. Despite only playing music for around a year, Colourblind are a band who already know how best to carve out a middle ground between songs you can sweat to and songs you can confide in. Basically, if you listen to Move Like You, there’s a good chance you’ll be Moved, Like Me. Thank you and good night.



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user ratings (71)
3.7
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
verdant
Emeritus
November 3rd 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

same

BlushfulHippocrene
Staff Reviewer
November 3rd 2018


4053 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

love u

verdant
Emeritus
November 3rd 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

no u

BlushfulHippocrene
Staff Reviewer
November 3rd 2018


4053 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Great review. Entice Me's one of the best songs I've heard this year.

Slex
November 3rd 2018


17255 Comments


No idea what this is but ok I'm sold

verdant
Emeritus
November 3rd 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

local band, good shit, you'll dig

zakalwe
November 3rd 2018


40147 Comments


I love Adelaide

Sowing
Moderator
November 3rd 2018


44509 Comments


Oddly enough these guys remind me an awful lot of Colour Revolt (same spelling of color, you fancy non-Americans). Anyway I love Colour Revolt and so far I dig the sound of this album, so nice find/rec/review.

verdant
Emeritus
November 3rd 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

thanks sowing! ! ! these guys are great live too

Conmaniac
November 3rd 2018


27704 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

uhhhhhh

miss u bb hope ur well

verdant
Emeritus
November 3rd 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

con i miss you and i know you would like this so please listen

Conmaniac
November 3rd 2018


27704 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

read it and i know i would love it wooo lets go rn rn rn rn

verdant
Emeritus
November 3rd 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

let me know what you think!

Conmaniac
November 3rd 2018


27704 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Sowing is right with the Colour Revolt comparison, but these guys tap into the punk/pop punk a bit more which i love ofc

Storm In A Teacup
November 3rd 2018


46395 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Band has good potential but I found your review more entertaining lol. Solid 3.15

Conmaniac
November 3rd 2018


27704 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

agreed with Blush about Entice Me damn, easy 4

Beardog
November 3rd 2018


5392 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

guess I have to hear this

stasar
November 3rd 2018


166 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

This sounds really fucking dope. I'm a fan of this, so far. I bit lame that I can't find lyrics anywhere, but otherwise interesting and a worthwhile listen.

verdant
Emeritus
November 4th 2018


2505 Comments

Album Rating: 4.4

thanks guys everyone listen yeah cool thanks

hal1ax
November 4th 2018


15777 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

good music



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