SADNESS is quite well known, although I could not find any information on the other featured writer on the final three tracks. SADNESS has been very prolific in their career since forming in 2014, releasing 19 full-length albums. The self-titled split here has five songs. "something in the summer rain" is the first. Although the production is muted, the music reminds me of THE CURE. It has Poppy elements, though it is a little sad. The vocals are dreamy and expressive, and the lead fills are all in the right places. It picks up with a friendly and jovial pace, while Damián goes higher and lets out some screams. This is a lovely song with plenty of energy and positive tones. I am sure we can all conjure up that smell of summer rain, and the memories the scent brings with it. They can take you back 40 years in an instant.

"please..." begins with the charms of keyboard notes. Smooth, steady tones carry the sound from there, though the vocals are impassioned screams. Delicate, lead guitars whisk you away, leading to a rousing sound of instruments. I feel young again, at an outdoor party, slightly buzzed, and looking up at the stars. A smile goes from ear to ear. I like to think that he is pleading for time to stand still, and for these moments to last forever. This song will leave an indelible mark on your soul, and make you ache for yesteryear. "illuminate the rain" begins with the soft chirping of birds, and the delicate and melodic tones of keyboards and guitars. The smooth sound from there is lighthearted and buoyant. Despite the angry tones in her vocals, the warm melodies win out. The pace quickens as your heart races with emotions. This song is both catchy and yearning.

"breaking through the clouds" has fragile and elegant tones. For me, it's a metaphor for the human spirit, and its infallible will to overcome. The vocal screams speak to this level of resolve. Believe that you can do it, and it shall be done. Spend some time frolicking in these melodies, for they will make you feel young again. "her summer morning sky" closes the album, but I don't want this ride to end. It has a little thicker and heavier backbone at first, but not at the expense of the melody, and those chuggy rhythms are very catchy. Following the six-minute mark, the sound drops, and you feel lost in a clear sky of stars. You feel the urge to hop in a car and ride to nowhere. It's about the journey, and not the destination.

For me, the warm tones on the album are more of an urging to get up, get out, and take in life. Sure, there is a lot of ugliness out there, but conventional wisdom would say that there is much more beauty to find. If nothing else, beauty can be found in music. It's one thing that if yours, and no one can take it from you. This album stands as a shining example of what music can do for you. Some of the anger in the vocals is where the Blackgaze label comes into play, but forget about labels, and let these melodies envelope you like warm soup or blanket on a cold day. Is there anything better than hunkering down with something as elegant as this?Purchase Link:

https://sadnessmusic.bandcamp.com/album/sadness-abriction