Houses of Heaven Within/without (Grey Marble)

Oakland's Houses of Heaven fuse the grit of early industrialwith dizzying hits of EBM, techno, and drum & bass, all imbuedwith lyrical themes that draw equally from the emotional andthe mechanical. Within/Without, their sophomore LP for Felte,delves into a realm of intricate intensity, pushing electronics tothe forefront with the production prowess of Matia Simovich(INHALT), and features top-of-their-game guest vocals fromDouglas McCarthy (Nitzer Ebb) and Mariana Saldaña(BOAN).While the dub-influenced, shoegaze throb of Silent Places(2020) immersed itself in the paradox of opulence against theunsettling backdrop of California's wildfires, Within/Withoutconfronts social order through the lens of inner strife. Itexplores a contrast between the fantasy worlds and unfilteredtruths that define modern survival, and a yearning for genuinehuman connection brought on by the anxiety and isolation oftechnology.On Within/Without, Houses of Heaven truly come into their ownwith a distinctive alloy of electronic, industrial, psychedelic andshoegaze elements. They create a dynamic conduit for discordand harmony with a profoundly human essence, bridginginterior lives and exterior pressures through visceral songcraftand deft pacing. In a cruel and technologically dominatedworld, emotional gridlock is rampant. Yet, in the propulsiveparanoia of album highlight "Flesh Techniques", we'rereminded that it's often best to "breathe in / these dreamsagain / shake, shake it off".