Track Review: Bonfire Nights with Tripwires – ‘Ego Death’

Teaming up with Tripwires, Australian ‘shoegazers’ Bonfire Nights are set to release their new single ‘Ego Death’ next month. With the news of Ride’s reunion, it’s clear that shoegaze is as popular as ever – and these are the new ones to watch.

While it’s reverb-fueled and undeniably angsty, ‘Ego Death’ avoids excessive aggression; the raw guitars are somewhat subdued by the merging of psych and pop to create hypnotic beats. This sense of hypnotism, a definite necessity in shoegaze, is furthered by the vocals, both lyrically and musically. The boy-girl harmonies give a seemingly distant feel, while the lyrics, speaking about ego death, suggest a lack of self-identity, mirroring the sultry, almost detached menace of the music.

That’s not to say Bonfire Nights entirely abandon the element of aggression that is clearly forcing its way out – and quite rightly so. Finishing on a completely raw, thunderous burst of instrumental noise, accompanied by rather incoherent mumbling, Bonfire Nights give a final feel of what they’re really about. This track perfectly encompasses everything a good shoegaze track should have, while the vocals make it feel current and relevant.

‘Ego Death’ is out 8th December as a split 7″ single, via Bad Vibrations.

 

Melissa Svensen

Melissa Svensen

Melissa Svensen

Melissa, 22. Editor. Student, music journalist, probably talking about Blur or Bowie