Album Review: Orbiter – Distorted Folklore (Salvaged Records)

‘Distorted Folklore’ is the brand-new album from Florida-based post-rockers, Orbiter. An album that sees its protagonist question his sanity and struggle with loss, isolation, heartbreak, drug addiction and societal collapse, then come to the brink of a full-on existential crisis. It’s out on December 13th via Salvaged Records (vinyl and digital).

Sink into it, soar with it, bask in its warmth, or wallow in its cooling breeze, however you choose to experience Distorted Folklore, rest assured, you will feel something. The post rockers are exceptionally talented and deliver an album that has an essence that creates differing levels of comfort and discomfort, assailing the mind in dramatic fashion with deep melodic melancholy, while also having larger than life heavy rock groove.

Expect to find yourself fascinated by this album, I know I certainly was on first listen, and with each subsequent listen, that only developed into a deeper appreciation of what Orbiter have crafted here.

Beginning in creative fashion, the opener that is Safe as Houses has a clever infusion of alternative rock which is twisted around laborious melodic post rock rhythm, with flashes of more experimental intensity here and there. It’s weird, but not weird enough to be off-putting to those wanting simpler soundscapes. Orbiter know how to please everyone, and that point is further proven by the powerful shoegaze-infused Time Rips, an example of just how lush their melancholy can be. The instrumental side of the band is on such form here, but the vocals just soar.

In case you can’t tell, that’s one of my favourites, but so is the progressive sound of Lightning Miles, a track with heftier sounding riffs and an overall vibe that can be summed up as ‘moody’. Which also applies to the following Timeworm and Coil, except both have a more accessible alternative catchiness that burrows into the brain matter.

Emotion has been notable in the album, but its effect so far will depend on the listener’s connection to what they’ve heard so far. It’s unreasonable to expect everyone to feel the same way about this album, until I’ll see you on the backside of water… If there’s a single person who claims to not feel a twinge in their soul upon hearing the tear-jerking melody of this one, they’re probably lying. An unrivalled beauty of a track that is short (ish).

Its nearest rival is the following Cicada Hymn, which may not be the most melodramatic of tracks, but is one of the dreamiest. Sit back, close your eyes, and let the chilled melodies and smooth vocals wash over you. Don’t get too comfortable though as the latter part of the track switches the tone into something far more robust and rockier.

The brilliance of this album means it deserves a wide audience, and all the time needed to be effective. That a near-seven-minute dramatic epic like Svalbard can be the penultimate track and still impress, should be enough to confirm this as one hell of an album. However, there’s one more, and it’s special. It’s This Must Be the Place and words can’t quite do it justice. Go, put this album on, spend time with Orbiter, experience Distorted Folklore in all its glory, and find something unforgettable.

Orbiter – Distorted Folklore Track Listing:

1. Safe as Houses
2. Time Rips
3. Lightning Miles
4. Timeworn
5. Coil
6. I’ll see you on the backside of water…
7. Cicada Hymn
8. Svalbard
9. This Must Be the Place (Digital Album Only)

Links

Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Salvaged Records