CaseyHow to Disappear

It would not be a scene revival without some good old-fashioned sad-boy/girl/person emo thrown into the mix.

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For anyone who feels nostalgic for the music of bands like Brand New or Balance And Composure, and also vibe a bit of down-tempo shoegaze, Welsh act, Casey, have emerged from a five-year hiatus to deliver their moody LP, How To Disappear.

The five-and-a-half minute opening track, Unique Lights, sets a melancholy foundation for this, third studio album, to launch. Casey have described How to Disappear as a release that, “Seeks to unravel the enduring impact we leave on our loved ones after our time has come to an end. This record explores the enigmatic intersection of existence and grief across the course of 12 songs.”  

It’s immediately apparent that this body of work is a concept album with each track dramatically and gracefully flowing into the next sonically and thematically.

A stand-out moment arrives with Sanctimonious boasting a driving pace as the track gets underway, stirring heavier moments, and some of the prettiest guitar parts on the record that wrap around vocalist Tom Weaver’s every word. 

How To Disappear is a vibey release that eloquently explores the themes of pain, loss and life through Casey’s eyes.

Atmospheric track St Peter brings a momentary reprieve from the guitar-centric sound of the rest of the album featuring only ‘verby vocals and piano. It serves as an effective segue into Puncture Wounds To Heaven, a track very much led by drummer Max Nicolai, and features an excellent balance of clean and scream vocals.

The album is bookended by another five-minute number, the title track, How To Disappear with heavenly guitar and synth parts throughout and a chorus that despite the subject matter, borders on uplifting.

How To Disappear is not the type of album that contains a collection of individual tracks some listeners will love and others will hate. Whilst it’s evident a lot of love and energy has gone into each track, and a few songs do have their stand-out moments, the record should be digested as a whole. How To Disappear is a vibey release that eloquently explores the themes of pain, loss and life through Casey’s eyes.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Sanctimonious, Bite Through My Tongue
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Brand New, Balance And Composure, Being As An Ocean