by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
There’s nothing overtly sexy about Sensual World, but it’s their world and we’re just living in it. The Richmond, VA based post-punk band are creating a dark mix of punk that draws elements from the raw burn of The Wipers to the shadowy romanticism of The Cure. Their sound is definitely informed by 80’s post-punk and it’s many shapes, but the quartet are re-purposing their influences into their own. Following a promo tape released earlier this summer, the band are set to release Feeling Wild via Stupid Bag Records (Swearin’, Notches, Dark Thoughts) on September 27th. The record is balanced between ever present scuzz and bold melodies driven by the vocals, situated just deep enough in the mix.
Lead single “Ugly Being” (which was previously featured on the promo tape) is a welcome introduction, it captures the dirt and density of their sound with a hypnotic rhythm and layered guitars that are both corrosive and kinda dreamy, depending how you choose to take them in. The vocals howl with a commanding presence, even from their spot buried just below the guitars, it only makes you focus more on their crooning yelps and ragged swoons. While the wall of sound persists in drab glory (that Wipers reference is executed to perfection), there’s a brightness that comes from the vocals and their quest for a bit of sunlight in spite of personal demons and tragedy.
Tour Dates:
10/4 - Durham, NC @ Motorco w/ Sheer Mag & Tweens
10/5 - Charlotte, NC
10/6 - Athens, GA
10/7 - Nashville, TN
10/8 - St. Louis, MO @ The Nest
10/9 - Bloomington, IN
10/10 - Chicago, IL
10/11 - Detroit, MI
10/12 - Pittsburgh, PA
10/13 - Philadelphia, PA
11/03 - Gainesville, FL @ FEST w/ Jawbreaker & Post Teens