Setting the tone with luscious and expansive electric guitars with textured drums, The Vacant Shapes open Ghost of Sunflowers with intrigue, dimensionality and atmospheric vocals.
We are immediately drawn in my the seductive vocal production, and poetic prowess shared by the band as they paint a vivid and evocative picture with their prose.
The opus expands into a dynamic and immersive experience which blends “the spirit of post punk, the melodic sensibility of [the] 80s”. The band cite acts including REM, Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Velvet Underground, Pixies, Joy Division, New Order, and The XX as some of their influences, but there is no doubt that The Vacant Shapes are creating a universe of their own.
Speaking on their artistry, the band confess, “We want to create music that we’re excited to go back and listen to, and releasing music ourselves under our own label (Thick Honey Records) gives us more freedom to release whatever, whenever. Producing our own records and creating the art ourselves only comes naturally and something [we] enjoy a lot.”
The Vacant Shapes consist of Rico Shackelford on guitar and vocals, Rob “De Las Casas” Ochoa on bass, and Gregg Gross on drums.
We love the authenticity and ethereal nature of what they create, and have added Ghost of Sunflowers to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream their existing discography including Swell and What I’m Not.