Copeland - Blushing (Album Review)

The one place we can find freedom from the pressures of life is our dreams. Our dreams are specific to us, and whether they be about our aspirations or our fears, they create a story unique to us. That specificity may sound limiting, but more often than not, it’s beautiful, as is the case for Copeland‘s newest record. Copeland share the atmosphere and imagery of their most personal emotions and dreams in their enchanting new record Blushing, creating gorgeous soundscapes and intensely intimate stories.

It’s impossible to not be completely entranced by Blushing when you start it. There’s an ethereal nature to it that really captures you: the synthy nostalgia of the 80s meets a modern honesty and outlook on life, with Copeland’s emotions acting as the glue between them. Opening track ‘Pope‘ begins with haunting vocals, the slow pacing of the track and crystalline production perfectly introducing the sound of Blushing. The track’s vintage vibe paired with its lyrics have this very special mixture, creating a disorienting sense of being caught between two worlds while still being all too familiar. The record continues to dish out highly intimate tracks like this, from the dreamy, beautiful synths of ‘Lay Here‘ to the fragile sense of love in the gorgeous ‘On Your Worst Day.’ Calming numbers, like the poetic ‘Skywriter,‘ ease the intensity in the record, as Copeland and Young Summer create a wonderfully light atmosphere. The slow, dreamy jazz of ‘Suddenly‘ creates more of a sense of wonder, further sending you into Copeland’s dreamy abyss.

There’s something tangibly sad but beautiful about Blushing. The lyrics often tell lovely or heartbreaking stories, such as in ‘Strange Flower‘ where the melodies and lyrics combine into one powerful track, the chorus wailing “Every time you see her now you drift off... All at once you're overcome, you get lost... In an endless spin you're only looking for her“ before the track resolves in an almost alternative way. Similarly, ‘Colorless‘ brings a bigger atmosphere that seeks to consume you, the falsettos providing a sense of frailty and desire. Despite the intimacy, there’s plenty of drive throughout Blushing that keeps the record moving forward. ‘As Above, So Alone‘ has a haunting atmosphere, but builds into an awesome drive that has such a specific but effective place within the track. Closing track ‘Waltz On Water‘ ends beautifully, building up with gorgeous melodies into one final blissful climax.

Dreams are our own, personal stories that are built out of our past and our hopes. In Blushing, Copeland share their most intimate dreams and stories while crafting magical instrumentals around them, offering an almost cinematic soundscape. Few records even dare to be this personal and unabashedly intrinsic to the artists. Blushing is inspiring production-wise, and revealing on an emotional level. It’s the best of all worlds.

Favorite Tracks: Colorless, On Your Worst Day, Waltz On Water, Strange Flower, Suddenly

Least Favorite Track: It Felt So Real

Rating: 97 / 100

Stream or buy Blushing on Apple Music, and follow our 2019 Playlist on Spotify: