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Mexico’s nosiest indie group bring you their dark and mysterious debut album ‘To Repel Ghosts’ which gives us electric guitar riffs and booming drums as themes of the supernatural emerge throughout the tracks. Howless have been growing a fanbase through their recent single releases. The maturity and sophistication of their writing and composition stands them out as a band with a bright future.

‘To Repel Ghosts‘ consists of songs that create tension and suspense through nervous energy which emphasises different levels of consciousness as we slip in and out of deep sleep wondering if we’ll ever wake again. The songs are beautifully produced with wild and rowdy sounds that will get you jumping to these upbeat rhythms.

The songs on the record give off spooky atmospheric vibes that has infectious yet catchy lyrics that make you feel like a storm is brewing and that the wind will howl through the town. The band also add a twist of Latin pop to their music to make some of the tracks cheerier and more positive instead of the melancholy which permeates most of the record.

The vocals on the album are intriguing as there are deep sharp husky tones coming through as well as mellow yet silky smooth harmonies, the intertwined vocals of the female and male singers go perfectly together bringing ice cold notes and mixing them with a blaring flame to keep us warm and to spice up the hard sounding tracks that spark pure energy and passion. ‘To Repel Ghosts‘ is all about the need to believe more in your faith, be sceptical of your life choices and decisions, expect the unexpected and to embrace your anxieties and fears by trying to find a way past them. The lyrics within the hits on this record elaborate these meanings more as they use their own life experiences to give off raw emotion and to help with the development of their sound.

A track that stands out to me is ‘Rain and Ice’ as it is soft and slow to start with but gets livelier and heavier as the song progresses to create an aura of a recurring apocalyptic dream that is both scary and creepy, emphasised by the catastrophic roaring sounds. The song has a punchy beat to it which gives off ghostly melodies and dreamlike feelings, which lead you to think of memories from people you have lost.

Another track I like is ‘Unlucky’ as it represents the power of sweet but soft melodies in your average pop song. The sounds of shimmering keys, deafening drumbeats and glittery guitars bring feel good cheesy vibes that bring fun loving positivity to this magnificent tune. The vocals are haunting but effortless as the song speaks of self-sabotage through bad luck and terrible decision making. The word unlucky to me reminds me of not getting the job I wanted and thinking of how maybe in time my luck will change and I won’t constantly be unlucky in life.

‘People Walk Away’ is another favourite of mine as it is spiritual and meaningful via calm soothing rhythms that help you to get lost in deep thought as you learn someone important has left your life and the feeling of sadness, sorrow and remorse start to kick in. The vocals are simple and elegant and this song is slower than the others on the album which makes you feel relaxed but also teary eyed when listening to it. The inspiration for this track came from a small piece of poetry that references the questioning of our place on earth and the bitterness of saying goodbye to someone who hasn’t left your mind. It’s hard to accept when people walk away because they may have been a big part of you but in time you will learn that it was for the best that they left because it gave you chance to grow and be happier in life and feel like you belong.

Here at Indie Midlands we thoroughly enjoy Howless’ debut album and we look forward to hearing more from them in the near future.

‘To Repel Ghosts‘ is out now via Static Blooms Records.