B-Side Guys

Glitter Etiquette’s “CERULEAN” doesn’t just blur genre lines—it obliterates them with methodical precision. The five-track EP marks a deliberate departure from the band’s previous sonic identities, exchanging the distortion-heavy angst of “Silicone Bodies” and the reverb-drenched ambience of “Springfall” for something more structurally audacious.

“Cows” opens the collection with an unexpected approach to dynamics. Rather than employing the typical soft-loud templates that have defined alternative rock since the Pixies, Glitter Etiquette works with gradual tectonic shifts. Synthesizers don’t simply provide background texture but actively counterpoint the guitars, creating harmonic frictions that resolve in unexpected ways. The bass tone here deserves particular attention—neither the typical rock midrange punch nor electronic sub-frequency rumble, but something occupying an uncanny middle ground that anchors the composition while maintaining mobility.

The unconventionally spelled “Possesion” reveals the band’s newfound interest in rhythmic complexity. The programming throughout the track employs subtle polyrhythms that create forward momentum without resorting to obvious dance music tropes. What initially sounds like a straightforward 4/4 pulse gradually reveals layers of syncopation and metric modulation. When paired with guitar figures that deliberately work against these established patterns, the result is a productive destabilization—music that feels simultaneously grounded and unmoored.

By “Be Fine,” the EP’s centerpiece, Glitter Etiquette fully commits to their new compositional approach. The stereo field becomes a canvas for precise sound placement—percussive elements appear at unexpected coordinates, synth lines pan across the spectrum with deliberate intent, and vocals occupy shifting positions rather than remaining centered. This spatial choreography isn’t merely technical showmanship but serves the song’s emotional trajectory, creating a physical sensation of displacement that mirrors its thematic concerns.

The production approach to “Blue Plastic” demonstrates the band’s transformed relationship with guitar processing. Rather than employing standard shoegaze effects chains (reverb into delay into fuzz), they’ve developed a more idiosyncratic signal path that renders six strings nearly unrecognizable. Guitar tones emerge as crystalline structures rather than washes, with harmonic information preserved despite radical transformation. Against these processed elements, surprisingly dry bass and drum sounds create textural contrast that prevents the track from disappearing into pure abstraction.

Closing statement “A Place…” employs perhaps the most radical compositional strategy on the EP. The track establishes several distinct musical motifs that initially appear unrelated, then systematically demonstrates their harmonic compatibility through a series of superimpositions and juxtapositions. This architectural approach to arrangement—building separate structures, then revealing how they precisely interlock—creates a satisfying cognitive resolution that conventional verse-chorus structures can’t achieve.

Throughout “CERULEAN,” Glitter Etiquette demonstrates a transformed approach to musical time. Tempos shift with subtle fluidity rather than abrupt changes, creating an elastic sensation that evokes the distorted temporal perception of dreams. This manipulation extends to micro-timing as well—rather than quantizing electronic elements to rigid grids while allowing conventional instruments humanistic imprecision, the band reverses this expectation, with programming that breathes and instrumental performances that maintain almost mechanical precision.

The conceptual framework of a universe where cerulean blue has been eradicated provides more than just lyrical fodder—it actively informs mixing decisions. The frequency spectrum throughout the EP contains noticeable sculpting in the range typically associated with blue tones in synesthesia research (approximately 5-7kHz), creating a subtle perceptual “void” that listeners may register subconsciously. When these frequencies occasionally reappear during key moments, the effect is one of sudden illumination—sound design serving narrative purpose.

Twenty-one minutes seems brief for such ambitious musical territory, yet “CERULEAN” never feels rushed or underdeveloped. Instead, each track functions as a concentrated exploration of specific compositional problems and their potential solutions. Glitter Etiquette has created something increasingly rare in contemporary music: work that respects listeners’ intelligence while rewarding their attention, proving that experimental approaches can serve emotional expression rather than replacing it.