Made at that place where a more melodic shoe-gaze-infused sound tempers the gnarly grind of grunge, “Hollowman” marks an exciting leap for Chicago’s Sleeps While Walking. If last year’s eponymous EP was the product of home recording, excellent though it was, this latest single saw them head to Echo Mill where, under the guidance of Matt Holmes, and Keith Perez they have upped their game and raised their own, already lofty, benchmarks. This time out, things are sonically bigger, broader, deeper, and glisten with that perfect blend of polish and abrasion that music made in such a realm requires.
Sleeps While Walking understands the secret of making such music work, and that means making it accessible. While guitars deliver slabs and salvos of heavier grooves, the drums pummel the beat ever onward, and the bass supplies relentless propulsion; there is also space and dynamic; it’s all about knowing when to take your foot off the gas so that you can experience the thrill of sonic torque and acceleration over and over again.
They also understand that even in such heavier climes, the melody is essential; peel back the musical weight, and underneath it all, you find pop contagion at work. That might sound like an odd thing to say, but go back and listen to Nirvana; I mean, really listen, and tell me that Kurt Cobain wasn’t a pop-head!
“Hollowman” is excellent, with all the energy and excitement that you have come to expect from Sleeps While Walking, only now with an added sheen. Perfect.
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