21 Aug 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Some groups, we like to believe, just materialise out of the blue, having left no trace whatsoever before, and then suddenly, they are the talk of town, or at least should be. Case in point:
Castratii, Sydney-based, we've been informed, and carried by the fabulous, urging voice of Liela Moss, otherwise of
The Duke Spirit fame. The hitherto elusive group's debut
Eora is out today, and it's a truly marvellous affair. Classic, gloomy dream pop, informed by goth and shoegaze, with stunning soundscapes we so far haven't come across in 2012. And though the reference points are out in the open and dutifully mentioned by everyone: David Lynch, 4AD, Zola Jesus, to name but a few,
Eora never lacks uniqueness or originality. The record's dense arrangements create an atmosphere of anxiety and longing, while motorik and industrial grooves like those on standout "Kingdom" place Castratii neatly between early 80s Manchester and some mid-western witchcraft from circa 2009. Stream the record in its entirety now exclusively below.
Eora is released by the very prolific and constantly amazing LA imprint
Time No Place. Pre-order the vinyl via
Boomkat and get the digital version now
here or via the band's
bandcamp.
