REVIEW

This is the debut album from Italian darkwave / dream pop band Silentways. Formed in 2014, Silentways were operating as a five-piece at the time of this release. After a period of disbandment, the project later regrouped and now continues as a trio. Current members have spoken about their fondness for 1980s post-punk acts such as The Cure and Bauhaus, alongside shoegaze and post-rock—an influence that clearly informs the album’s sonic identity.

The sinuous, hypnotic basslines pulse with darkwave and post-punk tension, while the crystalline shimmer of the guitars and the ethereal, beautifully restrained vocals of Annalisa Lynch suggest a strong dream pop lineage. The result feels like a carefully balanced hybrid rather than a simple fusion—darkwave and dream pop interwoven into a sound that appears both shadowy and luminous. There are moments that may recall the early Cocteau Twins era, when albums like “Garlands” and “Head Over Heels” allowed dream pop textures to take root within a post-punk framework.

That such a well-crafted release remains available only via Bandcamp and CD feels almost unfortunate. Fans of early Cocteau Twins will likely find much to appreciate here, as will listeners drawn to Projekt Records artists such as Love Spirals Downwards, Lycia, and Autumn’s Grey Solace.