Review Summary: Once more with feeling.
Shoegaze is the ultimate vibes genre. That’s not to say songwriting and technical chops are thrown out the window, but more than most styles, it leans into pure feeling. It’s something you just feel in your bones. You know it when you hear it. You remember less the riffs and vocals, and more the mood and atmosphere it creates. When I don’t connect with a shoegaze album, it’s rarely because of a clear, killer flaw — it just didn’t hit, in a way that’s hard to articulate. Plenty of bands craft dreamy, ethereal, reverb soaked soundscapes, an artform tinkered with and mastered over the years. That’s the baseline nowadays. So what else are you going to bring to the table?
Die in Love doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s an album I instantly connected with and one that reminds me of why I love shoegaze. What stands out immediately is the two-pronged vocal attack from Logan Gaval and Heather Boyhtari. They share lead vocal duties, each taking solo turns across the album. While dual vocalists aren’t uncommon in the genre, it’s usually more of an interplay or layering. Greet Death gives each singer their moment under the bright lights. This adds emotional and dynamic texture, with each voice offering a distinct and complementary contrast in delivery. Gaval delivers a soulful, whispery croon in a unique lower register and just has that unquantifiable “it” factor that you recognize right away. Boyhtari on the other hand, has a more nasally and airy tone that may not hit with the same punch, but provides an enjoyable dichotomy to keep the album sonically fresh.
It’s natural with two lead vocalists to pick favorites, but each brings something to the table to elevate songs that the other might not have fit as naturally on. Take “Country Girl", where Boyhtari truly takes command, delivering a hypnotic and catchy sing-songy intonation over a steadily building melody that eventually explodes into a satisfying, crunchy fuzz. It’s a confident, assured performance that stands out from the more chilled and whispery delivery found elsewhere on the album. Lyrically, it’s a standout as well, a dark tale of identity, laced with dreamlike logic, earnest personal touches, and nods to ’80s slasher films (which is an easy way into my heart).
Circling back around to Gaval, he’s the album’s linchpin to me. His delivery is haunting, with a slight emo-esque tinge that creates something uniquely vulnerable and powerful. It evokes a true sense of wanting to belong. He's mostly quiet and hushed, save for a few moments, yet still packs an emotional wallop; an impressive feat given how restrained he is. He’d fit right in with an old, subdued, and dour post-punk band. “August Underground” is his choice cut to me, a slow-building, slowcore-inspired gem that plays perfectly to his strengths. His voice pairs with a swaying melody, allowing him to fully take ownership of the song. In the second half, an isolated plucked guitar line gradually blooms into a reverb-soaked lead, culminating in a swirling cacophony of noise. Gaval also fronts what’s arguably the album’s best track, “Mother***er”, which combines dreamy guitars, delicate cymbal riding, and a perfect use of quiet-loud dynamics. The song has everything you could want, and in the album's only moment where both vocalists share a track, Boyhtari enters midway with a verse to provide excellent contrast. It’s an intriguing dynamic that the band should utilize in the future.
Sonically, I really dig the bag of genres and tricks that the band pulls from. A variety and blend of styles keep
Die in Love interesting throughout. A real strong undercurrent of ‘90s shoegazey alt-rock runs through it, really harkening back to The Smashing Pumpkins or Hum. The opening title track really exemplifies this, stripped down to the essentials, its rising guitar squeals and simple little hooks evoke that inviting feeling. Continuing on that track, the warm and almost cheerful sounding “Emptiness Is Everywhere” has a sweet repeated melody as well as a memorable chorus to further cement that thought. I always appreciate a shoegaze album that isn’t allergic to having some hooks. “Country Girl” also features one of my favorite throwbacks on the album, a truly epic rip-roaring bendy guitar solo that reminds me a bit of early Oasis. There’s a little emo, a little post-punk jangle, a slight twang, and a heavy slowcore influence to go along with the fuzz. Even if a few of the more sparse and minimal songs towards the end didn’t quite stick with me, it still all blends together nicely into one neat package.
Die in Love is like a warm blanket on a crisp autumn afternoon. It’s familiar yet invigorating, and a quiet reminder of what you’ve been missing out on. Music doesn’t need to surprise you to be great, sometimes you just gotta vibe with it and let it wash over you.
