Released on April 18, ‘Apnea’ is the latest release from gloryBots.
The first track from gloryBots’ fourth album, ‘Mad End’, ‘Apnea’ flirts somewhere between shoegaze and goth, post-punk and alt-rock. The drum beats are the very definition of the song’s title, as they mimic with their staccato rhythms the sleeper’s temporary cessation of breath and the sudden gasp for air. It’s a great stepping off point if you’re new to this gloryBots – but if you’re a regular reader of Essentially Pop, you’ll know we’ve been following their journey right from the start.
It’s disturbing to think that, despite ‘Apnea’ being written in 2023, things haven’t got any better since then; rather they’ve got a whole lot worse. Perhaps being caught in a state of Apnea – somewhere between the dreamworld and reality – is preferable to being out here and watching the world go down in flames.
There’s a distinct “European” flavour to gloryBots sound, reminiscent of contemporary artists such as Tokio Hotel, or The Rasmus. On ‘Apnea’ the guitars keep pace with the driving drums, and from time to time there’s what sounds like the beep of a life-support (or even a CPAP) machine, an ever-present monitor, reminding us to never give up, never surrender. While we might feel like we’re just watching everything go to hell, we still have a part to play in it all, and need to keep our focus on improving even just our own little world.
Speaking of the track, gloryBots said,
“Apnea is about a fictional character’s feelings of helplessness and depression associated with being on the sideline watching the slow collapse of civilization, and the juxtaposition in finding beauty despite it all crumbling down. The song also touches on the challenges that mental health issues can go completely unnoticed in the physical world.“
Currently a trio, gloryBots is led by Seattle singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jalal Andre, accompanied by Ilya Krisa on bass, and Don Gunn on drums. Listen to ‘Apnea’ below, and find out more about gloryBots and their music online on Instagram, Facebook, and their official website.
