Drift’s ‘Candyland’ oozes shoegaze sweetness
Wollongong 4-piece give us a taste of what they’re capable of.
Review by Natasha Christian.
Drift’s new EP Candyland is as sweet as it looks on the cover - with its unassuming white pony and pink sunset.
This release is a journey full of emotional depth and introspection. With their blend of shoegaze, pop-punk and 2000s emo influences, Drift tackles the rough terrain of mental health and navigating the highs and lows of being young and in love.
Opener I Want You Dead immediately grabs your attention with its hopeful and uplifting guitar and drums. In the pop-punk/emo vein, the lyrics have a darker undertone as vocalist Callum McCombie grapples with losing control to all-consuming heartbreak and the desperate need to forget and move on. I’ve added it to the OJ playlist.
Begin begins with a very My Bloody Valentine-sounding intro before doubling down on the heartbreak theme. It explores feelings of codependence, holding on to an unhealthy relationship and eventually losing it anyway.
The peak of Candyland is Burden - a dark and heavy earworm. Lyrically it takes a stab at toxic masculinity and rising above harmful and destructive people and behaviours. Listeners who come to Candyland expecting more Burden may be disappointed as it’s the heaviest track on this EP.
Go Away appears to be about grief. I’m not sure if it’s referring to the heartbreak of the first two songs or something deeper. It’s more of a classic Australian rock song than a shoegaze track. Similar to I Want You Dead, it’s catchiness comes with some pretty dark lyrics. All Its Day brings us back to a softer shoegaze territory, exploring the aftermath of trauma, vulnerability, and the journey towards healing and recovery.
Candyland closes with Too Late, a raw and stripped-back recording that’s reflective of the emotional rollercoaster we’ve just been on. I get what Drift is trying to do with this track and when it’s done well, it’s a masterpiece - think NIN Hurt. But Too Late feels a bit too stripped and raw to the point where it feels unfinished and doesn’t quite belong in Candyland. Because of this, I exited Candyland feeling like I was left hanging with no resolve. It’s possible one more song could’ve provided that closure, but perhaps that’s the point of this ending - as sometimes we’re meant to pause and savour life’s bittersweet moments.
This EP is a quick taste of what Drift has to offer - considering they’ve only been a band for a couple of years I’d say this is a pretty sweet first offering.
Candyland is out now via Backbone Music.
