Sandi Glowe – is it the past that affects my will?
Sandi Glowe – is it the past that affects my will? – EP Review
Ayyy whaddya know – one of the most reliably badass independent labels I know of has introduced us to more music I’m interested in! Who would’ve thought? #ThankYouForBeingYouAnalogueTrash
That’s legitimate praise by the way…not that anyone out there reading these pages of ours would have the notion I’m just here to pump tires at this point…but yeah, Analogue Trash over there in the UK has been doing exceptional work over the years and tapped into a wealth of names we’ve come to respect. I’m always genuinely stoked to see who they’ve signed next, and always happy to see them thriving. I’m sure it’s no secret to those on their roster that they’ve got an exceptional ear for music and put their full support into any act they’re working with…so congrats to you Sandi Glowe, I know you’re in good hands.
There’s a true moodiness that I love about Glowe’s sound, and you’ll hear that on display right from the drop of the first track from her brand-new EP, which is called “Where The Light Goes.” Word on the street is that this is one of three tracks that were released in advance of the record and have been circulating for a while now – and while it’s usually quite rare for me to agree on what would make a great single, I’m inclined to this time…”Where The Light Goes” is a stellar choice to represent this set of songs and draw people in. You’ll find the title of the EP cited in this tune as well as Sandi will wonder is it the past that affects my will? as she sings this opening track with such haunting authenticity. There’s a lot to love about this track from the melody to the musings you’ll find in her lyricism, but I felt like more than anything else, “Where The Light Goes” was a real master-class in atmosphere. It’s like you’ve stepped into an open diary with thoughts and secrets spilled all over the page…many of which you’ll probably identify with in your own way, and others that will resonate profoundly with you on other levels. From the spare sound at the beginning as Sandi starts to sing, to the extraordinary way that the song fills in the space with cinematic vibes just prior to first minute’s finish, to the way that it smooths out with such inviting melody and its curious sparkle in the guitar only thirty seconds or so later – you’ll find “Where The Light Goes” shifts seamlessly through an evocative & thought-provoking design. Dig the guitar solo around the 3:30 mark too…it’s short, and I’d probably make an argument that Sandi’s got such an insightful way of how to play the song-inside-the-song that I’d have definitely taken a bit more of her instrumentation without hesitation – BUT…I also think that if you’re listening closely, you’ll notice she continues to innovate the melody of her guitar work throughout the rest of the song that follows too. I’m into it all…in my opinion, everything fits here. I like the way she sings, I like the way she plays, I like the way that she’s structured this opening tune and I feel like she got the most out of the material in the way she chose to approach it. It’s dark and beautiful in that kind of moody way we’ve come to associate with sounds like you’d find in the Cowboy Junkies, but with the strength in songwriting you’d find in pioneers/legends like Luba and Kate Bush as well. All-in-all, it’s a very compelling opening track.
On “Silent Town,” she morphs her vocals to a bit of a brighter and bolder delivery, while still possessing a fallen angel-esque style of melody that reveals her genuine gift for creating contrast we can feel on a sensory level. I’d probably add someone like Nina Persson to my list of comparisons when it comes to a song like “Silent Town” – but make no mistake, chances are no matter who Sandi might remind you of will keep her in excellent company. Dig the sound in the production of “Silent Town” too – like…the way the drums came out is audibly ROBUST y’all, and the way the song itself moves so fluidly between its sparest moments to its most intense is marvelous. Do I agree with the assessment in the notes that came with this EP details how a track like “Silent Town” comes with production choices that would be akin to Nine Inch Nails or freakin’ MINISTRY? I…umm…hmm… I think that’s probably a bit of a stretch in some ways, if only because the comparison to names like that would cross a chasm of distance to make enough sense to most ears. I can get behind the NIN comparison I guess…the more ethereal vibes on something like the Ghosts series I’d reckon…but Ministry? Really? Maybe I need to listen to more of that, but I feel like I’ve always been good with what little I’ve exposed myself to. Still, I’d be the first to acknowledge they’re a legendary name in the business, even if they’ve never been my thing. Anyhow – I’m derailing my own train of thought here – “Silent Town” is a good tune no matter how you slice it. Sandi’s got some seriously remarkable moments in how she sings this song and makes the melody of her words bend in such a malleable way…there’s no doubt that Glowe is an impressive writer & performer, and yet at twenty-six years old, it still seems like we’re just scratching the surface of what she can do.
As far as I can tell, it looks like “Blackpool” was the initial single released from this record, perhaps even before Sandi was sure there was a record at all, way back at the end of summer in 2021. That was around the same time many of us out there were discovering Cigarettes After Sex, which is the band Glowe has pointed to as the inspiration for the sound of “Blackpool.” That’s an influence I feel like we can definitely hear as this song blossoms from its verse to chorus…you get that similar melodic magic that we can’t get enough of in CAS clearly on display in this third song from is it the past that affects my will? I’m all for it – I’ve been telling people that Cigarettes After Sex has pretty much been my favorite band for the past three or four years straight, and I’m currently clutching FLOOR TICKETS for their upcoming show here in Vancouver in September…so yes…anything that’s gonna remind me of them is probably going to be an easy hit with me. There’s a ton I love about this song when it comes right down to it…the bass-lines are a perfect fit…the guitars sparkle and shine with their sensory sound…the vocals are extraordinary…Sandi’s metaphorical lyricism and imagery is at its best as well. For a song that’s more specifically about “memories of the trip to Blackpool,” I’d be willing to bet on this cut being one of the most interpretive tracks on the EP that everyone out there will ascribe their own meaning to. If you end up feeling like you know exactly what she’s singing about, then congratulations – but to be fair, most songs don’t really work like that to begin with. We all interpret and internalize the things we hear, and different lines will always resonate with us in different ways as individuals living lives with different experiences. What I can tell you for a certainty though, is that “Blackpool” is probably my favorite track on this EP, and I feel like it was a very wise decision to not relegate this song to merely being a single from years back…this was an insightful tune to bring forward into the lineup of this new EP from Glowe. It’s a darker, artistic spin on the Dream Pop sound, but it’s tremendously effective and truly compelling.
I believe, if I’ve gotten all these details correct, that “She Holds All The Pain Of The World” would be the one tune of the four that would be new to Sandi’s most devout fans, as the other three tracks all saw a release prior to the EP coming out. It’s a good tune…ultimately, I’d tell ya that Glowe has essentially gone four for four in terms of consistency, and that if you like what you hear at the start of is it the past that affects my will?, that you’ll have no problem sticking it out to the end. In terms of where it would sit on my own list of favorites from this EP…that’s probably a tougher assessment, and I’d probably put it as the fourth of the set. I think I’d go with something like “Blackpool,” “Where The Light Goes,” “Silent Town,” and then “She Holds All The Pain Of The World” in order of my personal preference, but what I like about what I hear on this record is that Sandi’s performances and writing would give every track on this EP a solid chance at being your favorite tune. So if your list is different than mine, don’t panic – we’re merely splitting hairs and nothing more – the quality you’ll find on this recording is completely consistent, as is the material itself. Vocally, I think Sandi drifts closer to that comparison to Persson once again at the end of this EP on “She Holds All The Pain Of The World,” but I’m also gonna remind you once more that I feel like that’s great company to be keeping. Sandi’s got a lot of great things going on already in her career, and I feel like there’s a whole lot more she’s going to accomplish as the years continue. Her best years as an artist are undoubtedly ahead of her, but everything you’ll hear on this EP will convince you that she’s truly got the potential to surpass any of our wildest hopes and expectations.
Find out more about Sandi Glowe from the official page of her label at Analogue Trash: https://www.analoguetrash.com
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