Blosum are here with their debut record Amaryllis, and I’m sure that the coolest people you know are thrilled. These locals aren’t afraid to get weird, combining elements of shoegaze, ambient music, indie, and everything in between. This hotly anticipated release has come off the back of several successful singles, and has been in the works since last year. Blosum have been charming audiences and appearing on bills across southern Ontario for longer than I’ve lived here, and this album serves as a testament to how much the band have flourished over the years. 

The album starts strong with “til the water runs clear,” whose sharp rhythms and undulating guitar set a sonically dense tone for the rest of the record. Gentle, effect-laden vocals contrast the heavier elements in the song. The track feels weighty and sure of itself, building perpetually to a gorgeously distorted crux. While the song does feel repetitive because of the riff that runs throughout, the steady addition of elements keeps the listener engaged and perpetually guessing what’s next. That’s one of my favourite things about Blosum—they make even long songs exciting and interesting. 

As we move through the record, I’m struck by how difficult it is to translate the band’s sound into a recording. The wall of sound that Blosum create when they perform live isn’t accurately reflected through my speakers, even with the volume turned up. On tracks that I’ve heard live, such as “…and run” and “untitled,” I find myself missing the intricacies that were audible in person. These songs are still great, don’t get me wrong, but the depth just isn’t the same. I’m thrilled to see how the sounds transform onstage, which I think is the best way to listen to the band. 

There are two tracks that I can only describe as interludes on this record: “amaryllis” and “nothingswrong.” Both are less than two minutes, and feel quite different from their longer counterparts. The title track sounds completely haunted—piano chords are steeped in static, giving a found-footage audio quality to the song. It becomes dissonant towards the end, and a vocal sample adds to its old-timey energy, culminating in a song that feels unpredictable in every way. “nothingswrong,” on the other hand, is wildly different. It’s a soft acoustic song, where the vocals are intelligible instead of being drowned in Blosum’s signature cocktail of effects. There are layers of harmonies, and the listener might briefly feel like they’ve drifted into another album entirely. I like the concept of this track, because it offers a comforting respite from the denseness of the rest of the record. I find myself drifting in thought while listening to it, as there are no stark sonic changes to hold onto. Both the interludes feel important in breaking this album up into more digestible chunks, because without them, the more intense tracks would be too much to absorb in one sitting. Plus, it’s clearly given Blosum a chance to experiment with other parts of their sound. In my opinion, it really paid off. 

Throughout the record, I was surprised by the usage of acoustic guitar. I expected there to be swathes of distortion reaching all corners of the album, but instead it took a surprisingly soft direction. “milk’s lullaby” and “distant glow” are full of yearning, and I find that Blosum’s wispy vocal lines and dreamy effects translate well into a gentle context. There’s less of a juxtaposition than earlier tracks, but it shows the band’s ability to transcend genres. “distant glow” blends some synthy elements that are reminiscent of The Postal Service, which I’m personally a fan of. It’s a standout track for me because it’s so different from the singles. Normally, I’m apprehensive about big shifts in sound within an album, but this really worked. My other favourites are “…and run” and “erwinia (soft rot).” The latter has a lovely bass part, and a marching rhythm that feels deserving of a place in an indie film. It feels like all the best elements of Blosum rolled into one track.

When I heard that Blosum were releasing an album, I was curious about what it would sound like and how their unique style would translate into a longer format. Amaryllis left me pleasantly surprised and has continued to grow on me as I’ve relistened to it. I think this record is set to become a staple in the local scene because it succeeds at catering to such a wide variety of tastes. I’m excited to see what this band does next.