EP REVIEW: since torino – reunion dinner

‘…Brimming with layers of complex emotion and shimmering with nostalgic haze, since torino have crafted an absolutely essential listen for the dark, rainy nights of the year’s end…’

To effectively describe the sound of since torino is one of the hardest challenges in the history of this music reviewing project. The Sheffield based three-piece sit in a world of their own that is intersected by country, emo, dream pop, lofi pop, and even perhaps britpop and showcase. Vocals rarely rise above more than soft spoken word, whilst the instrumentals are at times intimately minimalist. and at times densely and richly layered.

‘reunion dinner’ sees the outfit compose soundscapes that continue feel both minimalist, yet paradoxically crammed with complexity and richness. Telling tales of fond memories, family relationships, and the anxiety that you have wasted the precious life you have been given, ‘reunion dinner’ makes for a record that hits an emotional chord like no other.

‘truth’ drapes whimsically discordant melodies atop of warm, fuzzy bass, dreamy guitars, and surprisingly groovy percussive rhythms. Clippings of the gentle conversation at a social gathering add a real sense that you are peeking back into a memory that you can only partially recollect. Similar can be said of the follow-up, ‘oh, angelo’, which carries something of a playful naivety with its waltzing rhythms and gently catchy vocal melodies.

The title track in particular is wonderfully composed; soft, jazzy percussion flows gently beneath a mournful yet festive brass melody, as the band paint pictures of cold, foggy winter evenings and the gathering distant family. Bright woodwind and soft strings cut through the dense fuzz with a genuinely beautiful tone. There’s a joy and a warmth, but also a deep melancholy, and those bittersweet feelings of meeting returning relatives, yet finding yourself drawn to comparing yourselves to their successes.

‘reunion dinner’ is another fantastic step-forwards for one of the most unique rising outfits in the UK. Brimming with layers of complex emotion and shimmering with nostalgic haze, since torino have crafted an absolutely essential listen for the dark, rainy nights of the year’s end. A cult favourite outfit in the making.

RATING: 80/100 – Very Good

For Fans Of: linoleumville, Joji, Worst Party Ever, NewDad, Labyrinthine Oceans

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Bandcamp