Album Review: caroline- carolin

The time has finally come. caroline is back.

London’s eight-piece, post-rock/avant-folk act caroline has been one of my favorite artists in recent years. A sucker for strings, repeating motifs, and slow builds, I was blown away by their 2022 debut self-titled record. caroline is a lone stroll through dense woods, hiking boots trodding on rain-soaked moss. Layered vocals are birdsongs, the strings cascading like wind swirling around fingers. Repetition rewards, each passage colored uniquely by a nuanced shift from any one of the instrumentalists. It was fantastic.

After almost a year of teasing new music, caroline the band has finally released a single. “Total euphoria” was released March 18 via Rough Trade Records. The track’s opening moments feature hard-strummed guitars layered atop one another for some wonderful rhythmic contrast. Vocals enter, somewhat reminiscent of late-90s Broken Social Scene. The drums are cavernous, and further the rhythmic interplay between elements. Reed and brass instruments join the foray, with synths oscillating through the air. 

The sound is already remarkably different from their debut, but the center of the song is where things get interesting. Strings finally enter, building up to one big moment. But the moment is too big to be captured, and the listener is assaulted with a blown-out, bassy sound—a shocking turn.

Despite an interesting first movement, everything in this track feels like it was dedicated to a single moment—one that, unfortunately, is poorly executed. As with many post-rock bands, tension and release is an essential component of caroline’s music. But where beauty could be found in the delicate tension of their debut record, “Total euphoria” is a much less intricate composition. Instead of depending on strong structure and an intricate build of tension, “Total euphoria” relies on shock, and the catharsis stales with each listen. The moments following the drop are beautiful, sure, but just like the buildup, they burn out hastily.

Caroline’s debut taught me that the best releases are not whole; they need tension within themselves that can be continually unfurled in catharsis. Unfortunately, the “Total euphoria” of this track doesn’t pay off as much as it tries to. With three years between this single and their previous work, I would have expected that caroline had a little more to say. I guess I was wrong.

FCC: Clean
RIYL: Maruja, Broken Social Scene
-DJ Redvines AKA Shalen Farahi