by Jason

Formed in Buffalo, New York in 2004, The Daysleepers craft soaring walls of sound with melody and driven percussion. The band consists of Jeff Kandefer, Scott Beckstein, Elizabeth Gimbrone, and Mario Gimbrone. These four craft intricate pieces of layered bliss that is impressive, subtle, and ecstatic. This second E.P., The Soft Attack is impressive to say the least. But, instead of blathering on, I will just get to the music.

The title track starts of this new Daysleepers disc with Cure style bass, driving guitars and walls of sound. Another fantastic opening to an E.P., this song is contagious and really gets the blood pumping. Also, it seems that Elizabeth Gimbrone has officially joined the band on keys and vox. The keys add bottom layers for the guitars to float on as the vocals woo the listener with their perfection. This moves flawlessly into “Moonfrost.” Besides the great name for the track, the guitars soar to new heights and the vocals hide deep in the mix, allowing the vocals to become an instrument in the mix. The chorus allows the vocals to work into falsetto where the guitars have reached in their move toward the heights of shoegaze, blissed out walls.

“Cloudless” starts with an off-beat rhythm that is complex and lies over beautiful guitars. Eventually, the layers of guitars and keys come into the mix and are just perfect. I can’t say enough about this band’s work. Amazing in its execution yet again. The vocals have a new affect on them that has an almost electronic feel. Honestly, I don’t think they could mess up Kandefer’s or Gimbrone’s vox. Infused with the ghosts of early shoegaze pioneers, this new-gaze tune is powerful and consistently awe inspiring. “Stereo Honey” begins as a subtler piece and then instantly drives into drums and bass. Straight fuzzed out guitars begin to lie on top of blissful vocals and full walls of sound that float underneath. These give way to the shimmers that are made of the perfect guitar tones throughout the disc.

“Mother Ocean” begins with whale speak that echoes through the speakers. It invites spacey keys and tom driven percussion with guitars accenting and moving between all the sounds. The track is slow and languid, moving the listener patiently through an aquatic, musical soundscape. The variations are intricate and subtle as the track moves along. The song is epic and is the longest track on the disc. “Lightforms (A Space)” blasts through the speakers with fuzzed guitar, layers of floating sounds, and incredibly intricate drum work. The vocals caress the listener, woo the listener, entrance the listener. This track is a perfect end to a perfect disc.

Ok, so, again, I am highly impressed. The quality both of the mix and song writing are intense and incredible. Hands down, this is my E.P. of the year. Each track builds upon the other and each is executed with blissful perfection. This is some of the best shoegaze to hit the record stores in many, many moons.