motel void

Cosmoline is a shoegaze-influenced band with roots in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Connecticut (at least, that’s what I gathered from their bio – American city and state abbreviations still confuse me a bit…).

Their new track Aphasia comes from a split EP shared with the Philadelphia-based band Skeever, and it stands out as one of the most compelling tracks I’ve heard in this subgenre in weeks.

Aphasia grabs you with its warmth and intensity. The production strikes a rare balance – it’s fuzzy and enveloping but never loses clarity. It’s easy to imagine this song turning into an absolute storm in a live setting, yet the studio version captures that raw energy while maintaining a polished, atmospheric quality that makes it just as enjoyable for a deep, introspective headphone listen.

The track launches straight into a frantic riff that sets the tone for what follows, the instrumentation is relentless, yet it knows when to pull back just enough to let the vocals cut through. Vocals are very melodic, adding an almost dreamlike contrast to the song’s noisy, driving core. The drumming, in particular, is a standout feature for me – tight and forceful.

It’s urgent yet dreamy, a perfect fusion of shoegaze haze and indie rock/punk-like intensity that leaves a lasting impression.