B-Side Guys

A single guitar note bends and stretches into infinity as Longwy duo Bleem opens “Fade Out” with unsettling grace. The track’s haunting first lines “Mommy’s hair painted with bleach / Dad should drink it, just out of reach” immediately establish both narrative and atmosphere, setting a tone of domestic discord beneath layers of psychedelic haze.

Leny and Sacha demonstrate remarkable chemistry in their debut single, crafting a wall of sound that feels both massive and intensely personal. The production maintains a delicate balance between clarity and distortion, allowing the dark narrative to peek through the instrumental fog like shadows through gauze.

When the chorus hits at 0:50, the repeated mantra of “Fade out” takes on multiple meanings – a production technique, a coping mechanism, and perhaps a wish for certain memories to dissolve. The duo’s ability to layer these interpretations through both sonic texture and lyrical economy showcases their grasp of shoegaze’s emotional potential.

The influence of Radiohead and Bdrmm shows in the track’s structure, but Bleem forges their own path through the psychedelic landscape. The tension between the verse’s explicit imagery and the chorus’s attempt at escape creates a compelling dynamic that drives the song forward.

Despite their youth, the French duo displays sophisticated restraint in their arrangement. The line “And no matter how much he consumes / I just want to see him, amidst the fumes” carries additional weight through the surrounding instrumental space, allowing the personal narrative room to resonate.

The bridge section’s encouragement to “Find yourself / No matter / What they say” offers a glimpse of resilience before submerging again into the repeated “Fade out” refrain. This structure mirrors the cyclical nature of processing childhood trauma, each return to the chorus feeling more cathartic than the last.

Having already garnered 1000 streams, this debut single suggests a promising future for the Longwy pair. Their ability to transform deeply personal material into universally resonant shoegaze speaks to both their technical skill and emotional maturity.

As a preview of their upcoming EP, “Fade Out” establishes Bleem as an act unafraid to probe difficult emotional territory while maintaining their commitment to immersive soundscapes. The result is both a powerful personal statement and a compelling addition to France’s contemporary indie rock scene.