Still Ruinsโ Our Penance arrives as a shimmering slice of modern sophistipop that reaches back toward the elegance of Tears for Fears and Prefab Sprout while confidently sketching its own contemporary emotional terrain. The band leans into lush guitars, breathy aching vocals, and atmospheric synth textures, crafting a sound that feels at once nostalgic and newly unearthed.
The title track โOur Penanceโ sets the emotional tone. Thumping drums pulse beneath shimmering melodies that drift like cool night air. The vocalist enters relaxed and resigned, singing about surrender, regret, and the ghosts of second chances. โThe heart is fooled, another time / Weโll meet again in another lifeโ lands like a mantra floating across fogged glass. The refrain repeats, โI can see you donโt want to tell me goodbye (for the last time),โ turning longing into something liturgical. The track moves like an exhale that never fully clears the lungs, beautifully suspended between melancholy and acceptance.
The EPโs remixes reframe that emotional palette in striking ways. They Are Gutting A Body of Waterโs remix transforms the track into a glistening and translucent citrusy refreshment, with cleaner lines and softened edges. Itโs refreshing, weightless, almost dream-washed.
Meanwhile, the Foliage remix dives fully into liquidity. The music glimmers like water, smooth and reflective, before the beat arrives in rapid, airy pulses. It feels like watching the original track melt into a new shapeโmore fluid, more kinetic, yet still tender.
In every version, Our Penance holds its core truth: longing rendered with elegance, and beauty carved from emotional aftermath. Still Ruins are resurrecting the feeling from the โ80s and making it breathe again.
STAY IN TOUCH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | X | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | TIKTOK | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
Review by: Naomi Joan