New Music: Osnova – Octavian

Though the name of the song made me think of the first Roman emperor, Osnova’s shoegaze-oriented single Octavian is not an obvious homage to the past in terms of sound or subject matter.

Sadness and pain may lie under its glittering sonic wall and haunting vocals, but it comes from a place of beauty. And sometimes beauty and pain are so interlinked, it’s hard to tell the difference.

Talking about the lyrics of the song, whose shimmering tones will appeal to fans of Pale Saints, Airiel, and Slowdive, “Octavian comes from the perspective of a person who has reached their breaking point.”

“They’ve made the decision to betray someone that they believe has betrayed them. In making this decision, they’ve also convinced themselves that it’s for the greater good, whether that’s true or not.”

Octavian and more music from Osnova can be found on Bandcamp. The song can also be heard on Apple Music and Spotify. Oh, and be sure to check out their cover of Cities in Dust – it’s a wonderful reworking of an iconic song.

For news on upcoming releases from the Los Angeles based trio, head over to the band’s Instagram page. The Octavian single also features another new track, the elegiac For Selene.