Columboid
We Were One
here is a cool, detached iciness that pervades the entirety of We Were One, the mesmerizing debut record from the Brooklyn trio Columboid. But rather than coming across as insular sonic experiments, these minimalist-leaning songs are instead infused with a seductive, textured depth that gives the listener plenty of room to get lost in while the menacing, hypnotic synths and relentless rhythms swirl around them. There are dark, ominous edges threaded throughout each of these moody numbers, with most of them smoothed over by bewitching keyboard flourishes and Ryan Hamiltons impassioned vocals (a heady mix of Ian Curtis and Yeasayers Chris Keating). All of it adds up to a tense, mercurial record that effortlessly blends desolate, gothic elements with an adventurous, melodic spirit that soars amongst the darkness.