I despise writing reviews for LPs for many reasons, preferring to focus on a favorite song instead. Sometimes an album comes along that is impossible to pluck just one song from. Miserable Miracles by Russian dream pop group Pinkshinyultrablast is one of those. This album is the epitome of modern dream pop; soaring synths, minimal yet biting percussion, textural soundscapes and spacey vocals but with added nearly grunge-like qualities. If you like dream pop, synth pop or shoegaze you won’t find a bad song on this album.
It starts off with two fast-paced bangers in “Dance AM” and “Triangles,” the latter those has some incredible guitar work. Two dreamy and textural instrumental tracks, “Blue Hour” and “Earth and Elsewhere,” break up the album before a thunderous final three songs. I love “Teleidoscope’s”precise percussion work and “In the Hanging Gardens” building, dancey progressions. The super heavy, in-your-face “Looming” is the perfect ending and literally made me want to listen to the whole thing again (which I did).
I have to mention just how well vocalist Lyubov navigates and adapts her voice to the many variations of melody and tempo in this album. I can’t stress enough at how repeat worthy this Miserable Miracles is; you’ll find a new part of a song that hits your or a lyric that sticks to you every listen.