The embers of Brooklyn’s noise rock flames are being whipped into an uncontrolled blaze courtesy of A Very Special Episode. Their new single “Smolder” is a simmering exploration of romantic longing that combusts into a cathartic inferno.
Opening lines like “Been a long time, the flame is still burning low” make it clear “Smolder” manifests the fires of pent-up desire. But AVSE sculpts those white-hot embers into something transcendent, not just run-of-the-mill lovelorn pining.
The band’s grinding riffs and pummeling rhythms coalesce into lush, almost post-rock realms as Kasey Heisler’s vocals take on a mystic quality. Lines like “The peaks stare back at me, the mountains guard for free” inject an ethereal dimension amongst the churning noise.
Yet AVSE’s abrasive and atmospheric impulses remain interwoven. One moment Heisler channels a vulnerable folk singer, the next she’s a possessed banshee howling “Embers start the fire! Nothing can snuff it out!”
It’s this daring, genreless brew that makes “Smolder” burn so white-hot. AVSE erects cathedrals of swirling quiet and explosive noise, housing an unflinching heart of romantic adoration at the eye of the storm.
The kindling has been expertly assembled and set ablaze. Don’t get too close to this “Smolder” unless you’re ready for its searing catharsis to singe you whole.
If you liked this track, check out this album:
B-Side Guys 
Leave a Reply