Grivo – Omit | Album Review

Unless you’re native to the Texan shoegaze scene there’s a good chance Grivo are a new proposition.

Coming into being in the mid-tens, the Austin based trio are cementing their place in the scene with a form of methodological shoegaze that borrows heavily from granite doom and fatally despondent downtempo pop. Admittedly, this process has been one as gradual as their low and oh-so slow take on the genre, yet it’s one that’s sure to quicken with their second LP, Omit. Across the seven tracks that form it, the trio channel these disparate elements through their two-toned filter in a manner that’s unhurried, but by no means easygoing.

Opening track ‘Trammel’ immediately establishes the overall sound and aesthetic of both the record and Grivo as a collective. Following on from an initial crush of doom that serves as a foundation, the band conjure a monochromatic, borderline miasmic haze. The airy, almost lethargic vocals of Timothy Heck only adds to the sonic gloom, and while the track does ebb and flow between concrete density and lulling minimalism, the haze never fully diffuses. It’s terminally despondent and sombre, and as the record slips into its second and third acts in the form of the title track and the aptly titled ‘Fatigue’, the atmosphere only thickens. These tracks do see variation, and though subtle, it’s wholly welcomed. Here, Grivo cautiously change lanes into roads bound for more art-rock and dream-pop destinations, with the monolithic slabs of glittering obsidian of ‘Fatigue’ heavily reminiscent of the work of acts such as Nothing and Hum.

Despite the band moving into more varied genres, Omit is a record bound with a singular texture; ashen granite. ‘Fatal Blue’ reigns in the despondency in a way akin to contemporaries and labelmates Slow Crush for a more alluring and aquatic affair, but for the most part Omit a record of one speed and moroseness. This is far from a grievance; within the soundscapes of suffocating guitars and apathetic drums, the band wallow in grief and melancholy in their own steadfast way. It’s utterly engulfing and suffocating in it’s dispirited nature. The atmosphere the band cast is the crux of the record and not once is it mismanaged or neglected. Granted, such a focus on highly pressurised atmosphere does mean there are times where the sounds become clouded and indistinct, but as proven with the likes of the nocturnal ‘Langour’, the dedication to immersion is full bodied and impressive.

Omit is entirely unbothered by the concept of amalgamating shoegaze and forlorn dream-pop stylings with other far flung genres in some madcap dash for variety. Instead, Grivo use both human emotion and knowledge of the hypnotic power of ironclad shoegaze to slowly unfurl an ambience so dense it’s overwhelming. While this does result in an experience that’s slow, gradual and passive – meaning those wanting something instantaneous and urgent should look elsewhere – listeners seeking a suffocating experience in despondency should have plenty to cherish here. This is far from a buoyant record, but with Omit Grivo show what can be manifested with an expert knowledge of the shoegaze artform.