New Music: Grace’s Locket – Blush

When a band cites Pale Saints as an influence, I’m not just intrigued but halfway to already being sold on their music.

Blush met and exceeded my expectations, as not only do Grace’s Locket evoke much of the Leeds band’s hazy romanticism, but they also accentuate it by layering over the track with vocals that possess a bewitching innocence.

The lead guitars reverberated their way into my heart via a sound that is comparable to the best of Cocteau Twins in their early days, lush yet primal, as if daring me to abandon myself within its textures.

States the band, who are helmed by Grace Juliet “The spark for Blush began with a simple journal line: ‘You appear, and my skin turns to roses.’ That image of uncontrollable affection became the anchor for a song about the dizzy rush of falling in love, as delicate and unreasoned as a first blush.”

They continue, “Grace built the lyrics out of wordless hums, and diary entries. The track was recorded in Ian’s bedroom studio, where vintage instruments, most notably a Roland Juno-60, brought warmth and nostalgia, as if the song were already a memory.”

“Even in its structure, the song carries coded gestures: the pre-chorus drumline was written to mimic a heartbeat skipping in real time. Every detail was shaped to feel both human and timeless, like slow-dancing to a love song that could have been written decades ago.”

“To soften the arrival of the single, the band created the prelude You Appear, a slowed-down reimagining of Blush enriched by Hannah’s live flute. The effect is like recalling a memory of experiencing something for the first time.”

“Together, Blush and You Appear are not just recordings but keepsakes of young love. The song is a love ballad refracted through shoegaze textures.”

Blush and You Appear – the debut release from the band – feature Hannah Cusick on bass and flute, Aaron Bluth on drums and percussion, Grace Juliet on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Ian Harders on vocals and lead guitar.

Both songs are available to download on Bandcamp and can be heard on YouTube Music and Spotify. You can learn more about Phoenix, Arizona based Grace’s Locket on Instagram.