Blushing - “Possessions”
Words by Zach Romano
Austin, TX dream pop quartet Blushing are back with Possessions (Kanine Records), a sophomore record that builds on the promise of their superb self-titled debut. Blushing’s sound is a maximalist, propulsive, and at-times hooky shoegaze, with ethereal vocals from bassist Christina Carmona and guitarist Michelle Soto floating on layers of glimmering fuzz that occasionally crosses over into sludge. Despite wearing their influences - from Cocteau Twins and my bloody valentine to less obvious ones like Hum and Failure - on their sleeves, the band uses the twelve tracks on Possessions to further carve out their niche and establish their own distinctive sound.
Opener “Bed” leads with a simple yet powerful bassline from Carmona that recalls The Cure’s Simon Gallup. Her vocals are accompanied by synth textures that dissolve into a bass drum heartbeat before dropping into a deep guitar sludge. If “Bed” showcases Blushing’s heavier side, the following track “Sour Punch” highlights their range. “Sour Punch” is essentially a bright, major key pop song with an almost teen movie bubblegum sneer that just happens to be buried in layers of distortion.
Blushing get out ahead of the inevitable comparisons to Lush by featuring Miki Berenyi, that band’s main vocalist, on album highlight “Blame.” Berenyi takes a verse midway through the track, and afterwards, the three vocalists echo and dance around each other, ending up in a gorgeous three-part harmony. When they repeat the line “Stick around, find out,” it’s not clear whether they are making a plea or a threat.
Throughout the rest of the tracks on Possessions, Blushing show a talent for contrasts, textures, and building undeniable hooks into the guitar swirl. The band has a particular knack for outros: the last two minutes of “Blame” could be from prime Deerhunter, and the second half of “Gel” is a wash of guitar and wordless vocals that feels like stepping into a warm bath.
Stream the album below!
Possessions is out now via Kanine Records. You can purchase it on vinyl via Bandcamp (only 3 copies remain!) or stream it on Spotify.
Blushing will be performing in New York City four times next week as part of the New Colossus Festival. They’re at Berlin on March 10th and 11th; and at Arlene’s Grocery on March 12th and 13th. You can purchase individual tickets for each show or snag a badge for the entire festival, which gets you access to 20+ shows from March 9th through the 13th. They’ll also be performing several dates at South by Southwest in their hometown of Austin, TX. For more info on all upcoming Blushing tour dates, check out the band’s website.
