By Donzig
Some genres draw a number of imitators; how many times have you listened to an artist described as dream-pop only to hear some two-dimensional synth-pop, or a female singer-songwriter with echo on the vocals? Or a supposed shoegaze act that is in reality an ordinary guitar band playing loud, with the effects turned up to 11? To properly create in these styles, an artist must rise above mere studio gimmickry to incorporate layers of sound in a sonic tapestry, create a mood and take the listener to new places. Skill in composition, arrangement, and production is necessary when creating a true dream-pop or shoegaze album.
Dundalk, Ireland's Just Mustard rise above the tide of mediocrity. Far above, indeed. Producing their own albums (always a mark of creative depth in my opinion), they use the studio as a creative tool, not a mask for a lack of ability. Their sophomore effort, Heart Under, was my favourite album of 2022. "Still", a single from the album, was one of my top tracks of that year as well. A recent press release aptly describes Heart Under as being "defined by a maelstrom of dark industrial noise and dreamy textures, explored themes of grief and longing, with imagery of being submerged deep underwater and gasping for air." Encompassing elements of multiple styles -- dream-pop, shoegaze, and industrial -- Just Mustard rise above genres to create a sound all their own -- but one that will satisfy fans of these styles.
After three long years, a new single from the follow-up album dropped in late summer, and I immediately ordered a vinyl copy of We Were Just Here. As luck would have it, Glenn then offered the opportunity to review it here. It was a pleasure to hear the album a month early and at the same time render a service to curious readers of this blog.
The basic ingredients last heard in Heart Under are again present in We Were Just Here, and terms from the press materials for the record suggesting "new dimension(s) of sound", and guitars being "warped beyond recognition" are not just hyperbolic phrases; this record really deserves that kind of hype. At the center of it is front-woman, singer, and chief lyricist Katie Ball, whose waif-like vocals conjure an otherworldly, dream-pop atmosphere throughout the band's recordings.
Building on the foundation established by Heart Under, We Were Just Here expands the range of the Just Mustard sound. The new album is nothing if not musically diverse. The opener, "Pollyanna" is blistering, and tinged with industrial flavors. This first single from the record is possibly the harshest sound Just Mustard has produced to date. The goth-inspired, "Endless Death" follows. "Silver" features an arrangement with a modest electro-orchestral flourish, and low-key male backing vocals, an apparent first for the band. Elsewhere, "Dreamer" serves as one of the softest, most melodic Just Mustard songs, yet it is intense and far from comforting, while the title track and side one closer, "We Were Just Here" features a very strong and pulsating rhythm underneath heavy guitar noise.
That's quite a variety of sounds just on one album side. I'll leave side two to readers' imaginations in order to entice them to further investigate this great record. Though I should add that two of the three most outstanding tracks on the record, in addition to the title track are on side 2: the sonic tapestry entitled "Dandelion" and "Out of Heaven", the droning album closer.
Despite the various sounds on We Were Just Here, it remains a unified album held together by Katie Ball's high, dreamy vocals, and the bottom provided by the rhythm section of Robert Hodgers Clarke and Shane Maguire. In between, guitarists David Noonan and Mete Kalyoncuoğlu explore sonic territory they have never gone to before (nor have many others).
Even in its softer moments, We Were Just Here is a deep, challenging album with a full sound. For best effect one should ditch the earbuds and listen with a good pair of headphones, or decent speakers. For my part, I'm eager to hear this album on vinyl since it was partly recorded in analogue, so a record should reveal the band's full vision better than the download.
As I said before, Heart Under was my top album of 2022, and We Were Just Here is a very worthy successor. It will be at or near the top of my list for 2025, definitely.
We Were Just Here by Just Mustard is out now via Partisan Records.
[Photo: Greg Purcell]