Emerging alternative project 23 Fields lean all the way into the feeling of drifting through modern life on The Vacant Stars of Wandering Souls, an evocative album that treats isolation and memory like constellations you can trace in the dark. Built from Stepโs reflections on his own life and the people orbiting it, the record trades in textured indie instrumentation, mood-heavy production, and vocals that sound lived-in. It begs to be played front to back, late at night, when the world finally quiets down, and all your thoughts show up at once.
โAfrika Nitarudiโ opens the door with a cinematic grace. Gentle piano and low, rumbling drums move at a slow, steady pace while Stepโs weathered, resilient voice carefully lays out the narrative, like a letter written over the years. As the song grows, soft horns slip in. You will also hear the female harmonies weave around him, at times. They are exotic, intriguing, and slightly distant, like memories from another lifetime fading in and out of focus.
Further in, โShotgun Bring Me Downโ tightens the screws and turns up the groove. Thumping drums lock into the guitars with a satisfying, head-nodding precision, giving the track a catchy, road-ready momentum. Stepโs raspy vocal leans into a storytelling tone as he insists that nothing will drag him under, even when the world tilts sideways. Itโs defiant without ever losing its vulnerability.
โWith Your Starsโ pushes the sense of motion even further. Bustling, pulsating percussion and melodious guitars create a restless undercurrent while the vocal lines trail off like shooting stars, suggesting unanswered questions and unfinished conversations. Throughout The Vacant Stars of Wandering Souls, 23 Fields craft a spacious, cinematic soundscape that lets listeners project their own wandering souls onto itโmaking drifting feel, if not less lonely, at least beautifully seen.
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Review by: Naomi Joan