Devolver - Sky of Holes
(Transsiberian)
Devolver's Sky of Holes should have come packaged with a set of instructions: listen to this record in a dark basement and reflect upon your miserable day at school. Then light a candle, crack open a Camus novel and smoke a cigarette until your parents bang on the kitchen floor for you to turn down the music. During the early 90s, some of you may have been at similar stage in life, and back then, you really would have dug Sky of Holes.
Sky of Holes stands out not just for its gratuitous gothiness (see the bleak album artwork for a start) but the curious blend of musical references. In structure, the songs take their cue from grunge, covered with noise and atmospherics a la shoegazers My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. Nirvana-esque chord progressions sit rather uncomfortably next to Bauhausian gloom, yet Devolver employ some unusual production techniques and effects that make the record more sonically interesting. Unpredictable sound jabs and slightly awkward moments will have you sitting up in your chair. "Seedlings" starts with a sombre organ before sprays of high-pitched noise melt the mood, creating an odd but pleasing result. Overall, it is a superbly produced record.
It's hard to pinpoint the audience for this record, but former music nerds in their 30s, or young hipsters on the cusp of the new goth renaissance will appreciate it most. Somehow Sky of Holes is strangely captivating and, disregarding my previous comments, should be seen as more than a mish-mash of influences.
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