Whirl - Demo

Whirl are a fantastic new Shoegaze/Dream Pop band from Northern California. I don't know much about them at all, but in the few days I've had this demo, I've listened to it no less than 30 times. As a long time fan of this genre, one of my biggest issues is with some of the recordings. Too often, bands go for a slick, overproduced sound that takes the warmth away from the songs. Two prime examples of this are Slowdive's Just for a Day and the Cocteau Twins' Heaven or Las Vegas. Both have incredible songs, but the production is so bright and full treble I'd rather listen to something else.

Thankfully, Whirl avoids this pitfall by having a warm and inviting recording, perfect for listening to through headphones. There is a sound permeating through the demo that sounds like tape hiss, but rather than being a nuisance, it adds an extra element of texture to the songs as it kind of clips in and out. The first track entitled "Leave" is a beautiful and distant yet blown out wall of sound that definitely takes some cues from Loveless. The haunting indecipherable male/female harmonies bring it together and sound so gorgeous I wish the song was 3 hours long. There are days where I can listen to songs on repeat, and I could spend the rest of this grey Chicago afternoon listening to this track over and over again. "Meaningless" is a bit more of an up-tempo rock song carried by a driving riff and the layered male/female vocals that show the other side of Whirl. With this demo only being two tracks, I'm left wanting more and I'm anxious to hear what else they will bring to the table in the future. If you like shoegaze/dream pop or trust my opinion, give this demo a listen. You won't regret it.


Whirl - Demo