Nach ihrer 2017 erschienenen EP “Remnant” bringen die Kalifornier Houses of Heaven ihr erstes Album “Silent Places” heraus – ein mit leicht verwaschenem Klangbild und immer etwas nach hinten gemischten Vocals überzeugendes Werk zwischen Shoegaze und wavigem Elektropop, das gute Chancen hat, Freunde von The Cure, New Order, A Place to Bury Strangers und den frühen Nine Inch Nails zugleich zu gefallen.
“Layering synths, guitars, electronic percussion, and live drums, Houses of Heaven fuses early industrial and techno rhythms with the melodicism of shoegaze and a heavy dose of dub-influenced effects. Formed in Oakland, California by Keven Tecon, Adam Beck, and Nick Ott, the band follows up the Remnant EP with their first full-length album titled Silent Places. Written against the backdrop of the Northern California wildfires, ever-growing tent cities and the continued rise of empty luxury housing in the Bay Area, the album explores the intimate experiences that transpire within the chaotic confines of modern living.[...] The intricate electronic drum programming is elevated by Ott’s live drumming, which lends a refreshingly human touch to the potentially icy, and often mechanical, sonic territory of synth-driven music. Adding density to the album’s shadowy allure are the unusual sounds and vintage outboard effects that Tecon and Simovich impressively maneuver into the album’s tonal palette. Great care has been taken to finesse familiar pop structures with an inventive edge.” (Felte)

Houses of Heaven @ Felte