Walking Beside Our Dead Selves is the third EP from Northern band Gdansk81 and takes its inspiration from the cynical, low key, film noir genre. It’s heartening to see the self confessed ‘miserabilists’ are sticking with their core values here…
The EP kicks off with ‘Molecules’ and the kind of signature ear catching guitars riffs familiar to anyone who follows the band. Themes of complex relationships and broken hearts seem to be intact too, however this time the band sound tighter, maybe more settled into their particular brand of ghostly melancholy.
‘Glass Key’ is a clear reference to the 1942 film of the same name and hands us a stripped back bass line with tonnes of moody atmosphere.
‘Susan George’ kicks off like a Green Day track before lead singer Macker’s voice reminds us that’s not the direction we’re going in here my dear. This is something entirely more individual, and the track changes tempo exactly when you think you know where it’s going.
‘IV Thing’ rounds the EP off in about as upbeat a manner as I suspect you’ll hear from these folks, with a foray of electronic beeps and boops thrown in for good measure.
In a fast paced, changing modern world, its good to know some things can be relied upon to deliver exactly what they say they will, and hopefully Gdansk81 keep it up for a long time to come. Album next?
Keep in touch with Gdansk81 at Bandcamp | Facebook | X (Twitter)
Review by Breige Cobane
Keep up to date with all new content on Joyzine via our
Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Mailing List