TRANCES shaped a chorally crystalline alt-indie ascent in Last Devotion –

From the depths of Seattle’s DIY scene, TRANCES have unleashed the sonically diaphanous ecstasy of Last Devotion; the first single from their upcoming EP, beyond the glow. With their name as a manifesto and a sound forged in lucid disarray, they’ve mastered the art of letting experimentation lead the way without veering into indulgence. If you imagine a more chorally crystalline aesthetic caressing the slacker spirit of Britpop at its most gorgeously unbothered, you’ll get a sense of the sonic alchemy TRANCES summon here. Their expressive zeal lands somewhere between Pavement’s playfulness and something altogether more transcendental; the only issue being that it didn’t arrive on the airwaves sooner.

Rather than grappling for a sense of authenticity, it’s embedded in every one of their creative impulses, from the oscillating guitar harmonies to the centrifugal rhythm section that steers the kaleidoscopic progressions into new off-kilter territories. There’s a quiet confidence in the production, recorded by Don Farwell at Earwig Studios and polished by Matt Bayles, that lets the more fever-dream elements unfurl without ever losing shape. With a lush post-punk glaze and flashes of shoegazey friction, the track feels like a product of both longing and propulsion — constantly renewing itself without ever starting from scratch. It’s a full-body immersion into emotive disorientation.

With the rest of beyond the glow due to land in March, and with mastering credits from Rachel Field at Resonant, the pieces are in place for TRANCES to cut through the noise with an alt-indie sound that defines this generation of alt-indie.

Last Devotion is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Bandcamp. 

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Review by Amelia Vandergast