Our obsession with Arliston seems to grow with every listen. We previously featured their singles How in Heaven and Pisco Sours, so when we heard that the talented duo had returned with Thawed, we couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Enticing us with signature atmospheric vocals and an intricate guitar soundscape with textured drums, Arliston open Thawed with a sense of familiarity and dimensionality, but with a twist.
The opus expands with metaphorical and philosophical depth, to take us on an expansive trip through the cerebral and introspective mindsets of the creators. We find the prose relatable and thought-provoking. We appreciate the layered nature of the vocal design and the more subversive elements of the production, which fall in line with the overarching concept of the composition’s message.
We learn that Thawed is the pair’s final song of the year and a culmination of a highly creative era, following the critically acclaimed EP How In Heaven. We connect deeply with the energetic frequency of the track and the nuanced vibe that they pair bring to life with their instrumental mastery and poetic prowess.
Vocalist and instrumentalist Jack Ratcliffe confesses with detail, “While it seems abstract, It’s really a simple story about a character who is trapped in a cyclical loop of behaviour. The verses give a sense of creeping claustrophobia, and outline the problem: The character becomes addicted to the negativity coming out of media (“strobe light news”) which leads to this fractious state where everything seems non-real and illusory, just ‘coffee and fumes’.”
He continues, “In the chorus they attempt to solve it, by retreating away from other people, and into the sanctuary of ‘my room’, and even by just accruing wealth and money ‘my fingers in the till’, but none of it works, and the cycle begins again.”
Instrumentalist and producer George Hasbury adds with reference to their EP, “It’’s definitely a different sound to How in Heaven, but I think it’s a good thing to be pushing against the parameters of our sound and adding a new flavour to the Arliston pot. To me this sounds like some sort of Americana colliding with down tempo British indie, it’s fun!”
We love what Arliston have to offer on a philosophical level, and have added Thawed to our New Music Spotlight playlist, as well as our brand new TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream How in Heaven and anticipate future releases from the stars in 2024.