New Music: Black Doldrums – Echoes

You know that tingle or buzz, the one where you sense a band is on the verge of achieving even greater things? I get that with Black Doldrums.

The London-based trio has worked hard to get to that point, crisscrossing Europe over the last few years, bringing their personal brand of post-punk to festivals and then their own headline tours.

Echoes is a sonic testament as to why 2027 is likely to be the biggest year for them, with an extensive series of tour dates beckoning after the release of their Repetition Compulsion album next month.   

Post-punk has a long pedigree, which makes it difficult to escape the shadows of Joy Division and the dominance of Fontaines DC today. Black Doldrums create their own dark sun on Echoes, so they don’t need to worry about comparisons to or the shadows of others. With an emphasis on melody and a perfect balance between the mournful vocals, funereal analogue synths, and unrelenting rhythm section, it isn’t quite like anyone else in its splendid isolation and piercing lyrics.             

“This track was finally completed while touring and playing a show in Belgrade, Serbia, where the city’s warmth, creativity and discussions about local history inspired the song’s lyrics,” states band member Kevin Gibbard about Echoes. “Our time spent there won’t be forgotten. It’s one of those special moments and opportunities you wouldn’t have got if we weren’t in a band. I’ve never written a song whilst on tour before. Realistically, it never happens, but this one came out in one go, sat in the van.”

The song equally reflects themes that appear throughout Repetition Compulsion; whether the cycle of history, whether on a grand scale or personal, is set in stone. Says Gibbard, “The album invites listeners to confront the echoes of the past while questioning whether those patterns can ever truly be broken.”  

Black Doldrums’ Repetition Compulsion LP is out on the 13th of November via the mighty Fuzz Club. You can pre-order limited-edition vinyl formats of the album on the label’s webshop. For tour news and streaming options for their music, make your presence known on Black Doldrums’ Instagram and Facebook feeds.