Last Wars - Pale Fire b/w Frail Communion

 Since they were last covered on the site with the review of "Dust b/w Fools' Quartet", Last Wars released a rather odd cover of 'Get Away' by Flipper. That's to be expected from the lo-fi synthpop and self-proclaimed minimal weird wave act from New Jersey. Nonetheless, they've been gaining a bit of momentum in the scene with their ways and that's to be expected; their first double was a hit, at least to myself. December 1st sees the return of Last Wars with their brand new double "Pale Fire b/w Frail Communion". 



'Pale Fire' serves up further raw, lo-fi synths courtesy of underground acts throughout the globe. However, as I recall stating this is not so lo-fi as to be considered garbage; it's a delicate balance of delicately whispered lyrics with slight echo, punchy stabs of synthetic bliss, and swooning drums a la post-punk. It's a raw-to-organic ratio that has been developed with care. Twangy guitars make their cue in the single and do not disappoint. 

The second single, 'Frail Communion', is a nearly seven-and-a-half minute ballad of oddball electronics. Taking the minimal part to heart, there's a certain beauty and charm to the warm electronics that flow through the song. The rapid bassline calls for a dance track but the evocative backing synths calls for something melancholic. It's a pairing that shouldn't work but does; it's best described as a sad dance song. 

Between these two songs and their previous release, Last Wars should be on your radar. Last Wars is currently gearing up to release their debut album in 2022, with a vinyl release on its way. So, keep an eye out!

This review was commissioned through our Ko-fi page.
Dec 06 2021