EP REVIEW: OZZGA - WHEN YOU'RE AWAY

The Metro-based dreamgaze neophytes Ozzga and their debut EP titled “When You’re Away” sounds like some sort of a trip down memory lane – a very hazy lane if you ask. After hearing and seeing a bunch of bands mutilating themselves in the subgenre, you could at least observe that there’s a movement going on.

Today, there’s this “shoegaze revival”, and you think of their exports such as The Rave Tapes, The Polar Lows, The Juliens, or even The Strange Creatures. In this case, listening to Ozzga? Well, I couldn’t avoid to get my ears blown off since I’ve heard some praise of this band from peers.

And as for “When You’re Away”, the first track in the EP, “Zurg”, explored some cool ideas with the back and forth dual vocals. This is for them to keep the dynamic going in order for the song to not get dull. Hearing the first ten minutes, it made me think that the band are literally building from the ground up.

The band keeps up the pace in their second track, “Always”. Hearing everything that shoegaze popularized from the Kevin Shields tremolo technique to the complimenting bass line, the faint higher pitched vocals, and the guitar riffs that remind me of younger versions of Whirr and, you’ve guessed it, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless-era.

The third track “Shiver” acts as a better remedy to shake off the slow buildup from the previous tracks. Everything from the vocals to the rhythm guitars, it works just right. While the last track, “Still Truth”, a past single of theirs which I didn’t like for its bare mixing, is a track that I still prefer skipping over, or not play at all, for having an unnecessary second half.

Overall, Ozzga’s “When You’re Away” acts as an easy handbook for starters of the genre. It doesn’t call for innovation, but rather, it lives up the hype that shoegaze was when it was in its prime back in the 90’s. Although, some tracks need to work on the drum mixing and the vocals that get too drowned out in some parts of the song. Nevertheless, it’s a decent debut EP from a band that literally just started a few years back. After seeing them live over the weekend at a show somewhere in Quezon City, I could at least say this band has some potential. Keep at it, folks! We need more stuff from you!

Now what do you folks think of their new project? Do you like it or not? What is your opinion about it? Let me know in the comments below. Always leave a reaction below if you feel like it.

Support the art & the artist: https://ozzgaph.bandcamp.com/