For Against
Echelons

Music that stands in a "middle" ground, that of the American For Against.

It seems like British darkwave but, for chronological and partly sonic reasons, it moves beyond that wave. It hints at Shoegaze moments, yet the proposal is still too unripe to be inserted into that much-discussed melting pot.

You will find similarities with Chameleons Uk and Lowlife. Of this, at least, I am sure.

However, For Against are a bit less gloomy than Lowlife and wield an apparently more carefree approach compared to the one characteristic of Mark Burgess and company.

After immersing myself in the magic of "Echelons," debut for the Nebraska band, I thought I could describe its content with some ease. What a big mistake!

Upon listening, in fact, you realize you're dealing with a superlative '80s Pop. A Pop tinted with psychedelia and those well-known atmospheres perceptible in 4AD productions. But there are elements that go "beyond." Where? I'm still asking myself.

In tracks such as "Shine" and "Daylight", indeed, you feel a truly contagious freshness. In episodes like the title track, however, the curtain of darkness and anguish falls. In the final "Broke My Back", strange but true, bass and livid guitars paint a landscape that smells of unease but not of complete resignation.

If you go crazy for Dream Pop (not necessarily accompanied by celestial female voices) or for the late season of New Wave, take my advice, look for "Echelons" and treat it like a child. You will love it, that's for sure, but it will also know how to reciprocate your love.

PS: Yes, you read that right! Despite the genre proposed, the band is American.