Hallows - Subtle

Hallows is a two-piece outfit made up of Dom and Vanee formerly of St. Paul now domicilied in Seattle. Last month the duo released their debut cassette on Phage Tapes containing five tracks that conjure darkwave and post punk vibes that all of the night gaunts feed off of in their never-ending quest to harvest the best sounds the underground has to offer. 

"Out Of Sync" sets the pensive visceral tone in one minute and twenty three seconds. This short dirge designates an opportunity to ponder points of reference that allow you to decide to move on or stop. It essentially dares you to move forward and uncover the secrets ahead. Songs like "Subtle", "In a Sleeping World" and "The Call//Ravenous" focus our attention on how both members feed off each other's talents musically and vocally. The male / female alternating vocals are well executed. Dom's voice will lower your body temperature with a deep haunting and somewhat distinctive monotone feel devoid of inflections and other times adds more range when appropriate. Vanee's voice also displays varying ranges; she can lure you into a ghostly realm. She may have you fall under her unintentional spell.  This works really well to create that sound that dives into the abyss of the melancholy. "Far too Gone" initially reveals a higher, shifting tempo than that on the previous four offerings. A nice throbbing bassline pairs well with Vanee's voice; she really kicks it up a notch here showing more range here than any other track. 



Subtle fits nicely into the dark wave post punk realm. The songs are crafted with well executed programming. Each track has something interesting to focus on. The twangy guitar, the drum programming, bass and synth work come together to create a nice introduction to Hallows. It's difficult to decide on a favorite track. Too bad Subtle runs so short. You are left wanting more.

Hallows' sound is familiar and that's fine. They create from their experiences and influences. You don't need to reinvent any genre to have a solid release. This is very good and deserves your attention. There are only a handful of cassettes left. You snooze, well you know what happens. Hopefully the band has plans for more music. Until then, add a few of these songs to your apocalyptic playlists and the dance the nights away...In your living rooms.
May 08 2020