Fire to the Stars delve into the deeply emotional with the moving “Stay Down”. A sense of melancholy defines the piece as it unfurls slowly but surely. Reminiscent of Low’s early works which focused on mood more than speed, this is a song that truly ensures that every aspect of the sound is perfected. Effortlessly tying together elements of post-rock, shoegaze, folk, and punk under a slowcore guise, the song is all-encompassing. Their insistence on a crystal-clear sound results in every element being given the proper attention, particularly the lyricism which rests at the song’s heart.
A downcast, bluesy acoustic guitar opens the song. Her strong vocals rest at the center of the piece with everything else revolving around it. The distorted electric guitar is smeared across the aural landscape. Never does this distortion overtake the proceedings rather its goal is to punctuate the tension that exists deep within the arrangement. Much of the song’s dramatic work seems to work within this focus on conflict, the desire to simply escape judgement from the rest of the world, a judgement that is never fully defined but seems to be within the purview of the observer. By opting for this approach the song’s gradual build feels uniquely satisfying as the autumnal, crisp sound works wonders. Small details are amplified greatly throughout the song as they reach a fevered pitch of sorts by the finale.
Tasteful to its very core, Fire to the Stars embrace the dark and gloom with a slight hint of hope on “Stay Down”.
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By Beach Sloth
