Neopoliten is a solo artist from La Crosse, Wisconsin who recently released Shapeshifter Assembly. The album is a mix of shoegaze, industrial and alternative. One of the things that stuck with me was that the songs often contained different vocal approaches almost to the point where it sounded like a different person.
The album starts with “Common Man” and begins with fuzzy guitars and a drum beat that is more upfront than the other instrumentation. Right off the bat you can hear multiple approaches in terms of the vocals. There is Trent Reznor like screaming but that changes to a more monotone shoegaze style. It works out way better than it sounds on paper. There are some very cool elements in the mix as well but you sort of need some nice headphones on to hear them. Up next is “Bodies” and I would be very surprised if Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor weren’t inspirations on this song. The whispering, haunting vocals were both staples of the artists and you hear that. That being said there are also some Layne Staley style vocals . The music is very cool and a mix between grunge and shoegaze. “Giving Up on Friends” is another solid tune and more upbeat and welcoming in some ways. The chorus is catchy and infectious. I liked the shoegaze sort of dissonance on the verse as well. Next up is “Heaven’s Gates” which feels more metal inspired. I think it was the initial chords. The vocals are sort of calming but everything else feels like it’s unhinged and spiraling out of control. I loved the juxtaposition of it. “Dylan” and “Yesterday Erased” continue to form this unique foundation but “Everything’s Alright” was a highlight that is a shoegaze heavy song. This album grew on me. Once I got to the fifth song everything started to click. The artist did a great job creating a unique signature sound. Recommended.
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May 2024
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