8/10

Blackout Transmission’s sophomore album 'Twilight & Resonance' is a masterclass in atmospheric tension and expansive soundscapes, marking a significant evolution for the New Mexico-based collective. Following 2021's 'Sparse Illumination', the eight-track record channels the high desert’s vastness into a hypnotic blend of post-punk drive and shoegaze shimmer, proving that geography can be as integral to music as melody.

From the opening moments of 'La Tierra Drift', we are transported into an otherworldly terrain where cascading, reverb-laden guitars swirl above Ivey’s restrained yet propulsive drumming. Christopher Goett’s vocals float with nostalgic longing, narrating the transition from urban confinement to open spaces, while the bass underpins the track with warmth and melodic tension.

Tracks like 'Ultra Azul' and 'Ascension (Sangre Skies)' demonstrate the band’s dynamic range, balancing phase-shifted psychedelia with post-punk urgency. Analogue delays, tremolo washes, and cathedral-like reverb create a lush yet edgy backdrop for Goett’s introspective lyrics, while 'Ascension' elevates the record’s social consciousness, layering anthemic crescendos atop a meditation on collective resilience. 'When the Aspens Turn' distills complex emotion into deceptively simple guitar motifs, echoing the spatial grace of Slowdive, while 'Las Estrellas en Alta' introduces mechanised rhythms filtered through dreamy textures, offering an almost hypnotic meditation on seasonal and personal transformation.

The album closes with 'Kairos', a contemplative finale where layered guitars and sequenced patterns pulse with urgency, framing Goett’s double-tracked vocals in a haze of tape echo and plate reverb. Across its runtime, 'Twilight & Resonance' balances narrative cohesion with sonic exploration, rewarding repeated listens and revealing hidden nuances with every play.

'Twilight & Resonance' cements Blackout Transmission as innovators of desert-infused post-punk shoegaze, creating a listening experience that is as much about place as it is about introspection. For those seeking music that navigates vast landscapes, this record is an essential journey.