I picked up this short record after reading a rave review on this records "innovation" praising its inclusion of trap influenced drumming and dreamy ethereal overtones. I didn't really feel it and learning about the bands backstory added a lot of clarity as to why I didn't see eye to eye on this record. The Veldt have been inactive for almost two decades, they formed in the late 80s and their debut was released in the mid 90s at the tail end of the Shoegazing Dream Pop era. Their reunion and this record has an old sound brought back to life with modern percussive influences and a richer sound given the fidelity of present recording techniques.
The Shocking Fuzz is quite an inviting record, calm, serine and soulful, oozing synthesizers and bleeding guitars wash together in a haze of reverb for lead singer Daniel to drift into with soft, harmonious singing that's sleepy and calming in its authenticity. The walls of ethereal sound created in a typically shoe gazing fashion are distant, dense, mysterious and layered with details that swirl around, expanding and contracting with the music. The percussion varies in style from track to track and accommodates the wall of sound that blossoms in the track, as opposed to playing a key role in its direction.
Each track is a little inconsequential with no big arks of progression but singular moments that suspend the enigmatic sound of the dissonant guitars while they create expansive soundscapes with their rich and deep tone, best heard on "An It's You" where the guitars cut in and out of the track, rapidly transforming its depth and composition. With each listen the familiarity soaks away some of the charm and the singular nature of the tracks has them stagnating with a lack of events to spice up the setting. The talk of ethereal music mixed with Trap beats drew me too this record but their union here sparks nothing special, nor does it sound out of place. Its a short and solid record but nothing to get worked up about, just a chilled record for a certain mood.
Favorite Track: Token
Rating: 6/10