New Music: Venetian Blinds – Debt Collector

For the band once known as panik flower, Debt Collector marks a new departure for Brooklyn’s Venetian Blinds.

Sage Leopold’s vocals boldly announce the track, which is their official debut as Venetian Blinds, more than holding their own as the guitars grow from a solemn take on shoegaze to a storm of blackened noise and uncertain sentiments.

At roughly the three-minute mark, there is an unexpected yet fluid volte-face within Debt Collector, one that is deftly handled and shows how comfortable and how connected the band is as a performing and creative unit. And it’s so closely tied to the lyrics that it becomes a logical move, offering neither comfort nor catharsis. The song isn’t a complete break from their past, nor is it a continuation, which, given the nature of the lyrics, is rather apt indeed.    

“[Debt Collector was] written as a group in our studio space; this song is about a friendship breakup and the stages of grief that come with it,” says the band. “We wanted to embody the intensity of those rollercoaster-like emotions with this song.”

You can hear Debt Collector on Bandcamp and Spotify. For details of other listening options, as well as news of upcoming releases and live events, follow Venetian Blinds on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.