VULNERABILITY UNDER PRESSURE: BASHT. TEASE DEBUT ALBUM WITH NEW SINGLE “PERFUME”

SINGLE REVIEW | BASHT. – PERFUME by Isobel O’Mahony

Dublin lads Basht. are in the middle of a moment right now, only freshly off a UK tour and already announcing another in October. They feel like a bit of a break in the indie scene, a little twisted and therefore ever the more enticing. On Friday they dropped new single “Perfume“, announcing it the first off of their debut album Poor Advice (to be fully released in October).

Produced by Ali Chant, the song appears a clear reflection of the impending record, which will “map the old dance between church and state in Ireland”. “Perfume”, on listen, details pressure in its musicality and anger in its lyricism. There’s a personalness to it that makes it feel almost intrusive to hear, but, again, it’s too enticing to miss.

Starting steady, we’re brought into the track on steady drums and a Stone Roses-like bass riff, before cryptic guitar cuts through the tone and darkens the tune. Singer and guitarist Jack Leavy’s vocals pull through, up close and quiet, pressing each lyric against the music. The chorus then ignites each instrument, including Jack’s voice, and creates an almost controlled reaction of catchiness on quick guitar, as it then halted in favour of the bigger buildup.

Leavey repeats “Can’t hide the scent of turpentine and cheap perfume” over earnest guitar and that same drum, that slowly pressurizes, releasing in the bass riff, scattered guitar and a bigger and heavier repeat of the chorus. The lyrics are hammered home carried on the music but really emphasised by empty spaces in the structure. We’re being directed to listen and listen close, and told that the story matters.

It feels too easy to call this a dark track because, whilst only a short song, it feels nuanced, constructed around this solemn yet dizzying tone. My only thing is I wish it had been longer, I wanted more of the build up and more of the break down to really immerse myself in the track. However, with the record being described by Jack Leavey as a “bruised concept album”, I’m assuming its timing will make perfect sense in the story as a whole, and that I’m just impatient.

If the rest of Poor Advice tells stories like “Perfume”, carefully made and with emotion at the forefront, I can see it becoming a stellar debut album for Basht. The band already feels like something special, and for many I’m sure something you wish had stayed just yours. However their increasing popularity, post many great support slots with the likes of Wunderhorse and DEADLETTER, leave us all for the better by bringing fresh noise to the current rock scene.