Review Summary: A step in the right direction.
We Lost the Sea are back with a brand new album, almost six years after the rather polarizing
Triumph & Disaster. Prior to the latter’s release, the Australian act had found themselves in a tight spot due to the critical success of
Departure Songs. Despite delivering a solid round of heartfelt tunes on their 2019’s epic, they also got lost in meandering passages and build-ups. Since then, the band have taken their time to craft this latest effort,
A Single Flower, inserting various bits from previous affairs into the current direction. A mournful atmosphere hovers over these songs, perhaps best summarized by the opening track, “If They Had Hearts”. In a similar fashion to “A Gallant Gentleman”, it grows in intensity, from a lingering chord progression to a powerful climax. The layered guitars create a rich sonic canvas, ultimately anchored to the bass and drum interplay. Meanwhile, “A Dance with Death” maintains this momentum with its driving beat, as well as sharp leads. Halfway through, the group switches to a melancholic segment, before providing the heaviest coda on the LP. There’s a sense of urgency here rarely found after this number.
The middle section of
A Single Flower, consisting of “Everything Here Is Black and Blinding” & “Bloom (Murmurations at First Light)”, heavily relies on post-rock’s trademark crescendos and sudden shifts of soft/loud dynamics. The former’s straightforward kick and clap groove allows the bass to expand, whereas shrilling guitars slowly become audible in the background. A pounding drum enters, leading the way until everything bursts into a lush finale. “Bloom”, on the other hand, uses a more fragmented take on volume switching. Nevertheless, the tune’s bittersweet guitar and piano melodies are augmented by the heavier passages. When everything clicks, the group manages to create a truly compelling atmosphere. Still, by the time we reach the album’s final stretch, the 27-minute long cut, “Blood Will Have Blood” it gradually turns into a patience test. Through the same approach to structure, it aims for an immersive experience. However, it is too long for its own good. We can hear various interesting moments, but the build-up is slow and it could have easily been split in two different tracks. Although it becomes predictable almost to a fault and its 70-minute run feels too much,
A Single Flower fares better than its predecessor. It remains a cohesive record overall, successfully displaying the band’s wish to push forward with their sound.