We previously featured Hollow Shift as they shared philosophical and metaphorical depth with the profoundly zeitgeist single, Rat Race, so naturally, we were curious to experience their latest EP, Reload, featuring five new tracks, kicking off with Play the Game.
The record opens with a cerebral energy with astral vocals, tapping into a high spiritual quotient with an almost DMT feel, this expands with a fierce bassline, pulsating, and moody. We appreciate the philosophical and metaphorical prose, and the dark-wave, post-punk energy that manifests. The song also reminds us of early Garbage!
The instrumentation is masterfully mixed, it feels progressive and dimensional. The hooks are present and we could imagine experiencing this in an underground rock club in London or Athens. Speaking on the release, the duo confesses, “On this new EP, we pulled toward rhythms and textures that are more kinetic and immersive. But we never wanted to lose that sense of emotional shadow—that tension between movement and introspection that makes Hollow Shift feel like a room you can’t escape from.”
All Alone evokes a brighter energy with a more cosmic nuance, but still has us swaying with the moody vocals. We could imagine this being sung at The Bronze in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. There is a sensuality that emerges amidst the poetic prowess and introspective depth. Next up is Reload, which is a higher octane track with a vibrant synthscape. We connect with the tempo shift and more optimistic approach.
This leads us to Heat, which slows down again, tapping into a nocturnal frequency, full of cinematic allure. We could imagine this on the soundtrack to Drive. The ebbs and flows are sublime, and we love when the drums pull out to expose the synths and vocals as the guitar rebuilds into an anthemic and powerful finale.
Fatal is the final track, but before we get into it, we have to acknowledge the cohesive tapestry of sound of the entire record. The instrumental introduction is prolonged and the vocals tap into a higher frequency, it’s more dreamy, almost like an ascension for us as listeners. The Eastern finale feels like an art conclusion where we reach a state of nirvana, cementing the narrative of the record as a whole.
Naturally, we have added some of the tracks to our various playlists, including our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Hollow Shift, and anticipate future releases!