Peaer – ‘Doppelgänger’ album review: Angular indie rounded off by melody
Political and societal turmoil has always brought the very best out of music. In fact, art has always been the silver lining of whatever shitstorm descends upon society, and in America right now, they’re truly in the thick of it. So, why am I surprised that in the damp streets of Brooklyn, some of music’s most interesting bands are beginning to emerge?
The Skinny: Peaer, the project of Peter Katz, returns after a six-year absence in music releases to deliver something that feels inherently current in the landscape of modern indie. Angular guitars and instrumental crescendos are very much in order, and arranged in a way that feels both delicate and confusing at the same time.
It’s an atmosphere created entirely by design, though. As a listener, you’re not afforded the option of comfort as Peaer dares you to go with them to any sonic corner they desire.
With that in mind, ‘Rose In My Teeth’ is almost the blueprint of the album, starting off as a garage-rock jam that eventually ends in a musical car crash, where all of the brooding frustration is finally exercised.
In the haze of that crash emerges ‘Button’ – the lead single from the record. It’s a partly playful, partly sinister take on slowcore music that foregrounds one of the key parts of this entire album, which is their ability to craft melodies. Whatever corner this band turns on this record, melody is the driving force and done to skilful, largely captivating effect.
There’s plenty to be liked on this record, be it those melodies, the ramped-up instrumentals or even a ripping guitar solo on ‘Part Of The Problem’. Elsewhere, ‘IDWBWY’ and ‘Future Me’ are delightfully atmospheric, providing a light tonic on the record while not neglecting the crucial melodic focus.
The Verdict: This is an album that will intrigue on continued listens, with pockets of ideas flashing in every section of each song. On Doppelgänger, the band prove that they are capable of stitching together different ideas to make one coherent sound and as brilliant as this record is, it’s hard not to feel like there might be another, more refined level to that.
Standout Track: ‘Button’
Release Date: January 16th, 2025 | Producer: Jeremy Kinney | Label: Danger Collective
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