Chances are, if you’ve spent any amount of time engaged with the broad scene encapsulated within the “nu-gaze” label, you’ve almost certainly encountered an artist either adjacent or directly affiliated with Julia’s War Recordings. Known for such hallmarks such as Hooky’s Something to Look Forward To or Glixen‘s She Only Said, and recently Guitar’s Casting Spells On Turtlehead, the label has been an innovator in the shoegaze scene. As one might guess, having assembled a body of work with such creative figures in the underground has built Julia’s War a reputation worth considering, and a certain credibility comes with each release under their name.
Enter: Her New Knife, the Philadelphia by way of Tallahassee shoegaze outfit. chrome is lullaby is their latest EP released under Julia’s War. They’ve been active for a while lumbering onto the scene with 2021’s Destroza, a four track effort only just breaking 15 minutes. It would lay the groundwork for the sound that they’d become known for. Destroza was generally regarded positively upon its release, and for good reason, playing into the more alternative rock influenced side of shoegaze, the EP is a vast, brooding, and impactful effort for the quick runtime. Listeners get exactly what they want from buried melodies, and eyes of the storms whipped together in a haze of malaise and morose fuzz. Already, the band’s knack for patient builds, explosive climaxes, and roiling sonic palettes is evident, as is their tendency to deliver the goods in bite-sized chunks.
chrome is lullaby is the fourth EP they’ve put out, with no album, which is a refreshing change of pace in an era where the biggest artists in the industry are putting out entire second deluxe albums for each release. Her New Knife does not saturate the listener. From here, the band appears to shift from their roots in subsequent singles and EPs from the heavy, chugging pacing of prior projects to a new emphasis on dynamism and tempo, all with the same blissed-out staticky halo, of course.
This is all to preface chrome is lullaby. At six songs and just over 20 minutes, this marks Her New Knife’s most significant project to date, and for good reason. They lean further into their aforementioned trajectory of dynamism, occasionally favoring a more stripped back sound entirely. Such is the case on opener “kittyriff”, featuring gloomy Spanish vocals over driving guitar lines that begin quite bare but gain weight as they continue. The lead single “purepurepure” continues this formula, this time with grinding bass, and clattering instrumentals creating the impression of a heavier, less whimsical feeble little horse, circa Girl with Fish. The back half of this track, with its screamed vocals in particular, are sure to be a pit pleaser.
“vitamin beauty” marks a shift to a more jangly sound, reminiscent of earlier acts, most prominently Majesty Crush. Her New Knife ensures though that the sound remains thoroughly their own, with jagged riffs and high, murmured vocals. “12r” is without a doubt the most outright riotous of the EP, with aggressive, industrial tinged riffs akin to Model/Actriz, backed with clanging metallic sounds and dark yet cloying vocals. The track then ignites towards its end.
Following it, “skinny/baby” marks another swerve, this time into a sweeter, lighter acoustic approach, while falling into a feeling of disgrace in the middle. It shows the diversity of the tones the band can put into any space, giving an emotional richness. “vesselera” serves as a vivid closer to a quality EP, leaving the listener enticed by its slightly dinged, pacifying sheen before ringing out at the very end. chrome is lullaby is perhaps the most developed of anything the band has put out thus far. It’s undoubtedly worth checking out for anyone remotely interested in contemporary shoegaze.