REVIEW

The debut album from Indonesian shoegaze band ASHN.

Formed in Bandung in 2022 around former members of Puremoon, the Gen Z five-piece currently consists of Bryan Arkan (guitar), Bryan “Popon” Pongtiku (guitar & vocals), Nafisa Almira (vocals), Rafi Azani (bass), and Irfan Al Hafizh (drums). Following the release of their self-titled EP “ASHN” in 2022, the band went on hiatus for nearly three years before returning with their first full-length album.

The band name is said to derive from the DIIV song “Acheron,” specifically the lyric “ashen and dead-eyed,” with the missing “E” intentionally omitted for better searchability. Much like the phrase displayed on their Spotify profile — “embrace sorrow only sadness is eternal” — a dense, humid melancholy permeates the entire record. Reflecting that atmosphere, the album is built around heavy, low-end-driven instrumentation, yet melodic guitar lines and the soft interplay of the dual male/female vocals keep the sound from becoming overly oppressive, adding a measured sense of lift and drift throughout.

The result is an impressive fusion of contemporary heavy shoegaze textures and the lineage of classic shoegaze. The run from #3 “Waves in Two” through #4 “Serene” and #5 “In Circles” fully captures the band’s aesthetic at its strongest.

The album’s centerpiece, however, lies in the second half, which opens up into a broader emotional range after the psychedelic noise instrumental #6 “Weak.” #7 “Falling, Fading” pairs melancholic undertones with a surprisingly bright and open chorus, before #8 “Safe” sinks into doomgaze-level darkness. From there, #9 “Whirlwind” arrives with storm-like momentum, delivering a cathartic sense of release that cuts through the surrounding gloom.

Closing track #10 “Endless” features a collaboration with fellow Indonesian electronic artist Ftlframe. Guided by chilled breakbeats, the track quietly settles the lingering resonance of the album’s towering noise and brings the record to a gentle close.

Even while maintaining its dense and heavy sonic core, the album constantly shifts its mood and dynamics, sustaining momentum without ever losing focus. That careful sense of pacing is precisely what makes the album so immersive without becoming exhausting over the course of a full listen.

A powerful statement from Southeast Asia’s rapidly evolving shoegaze scene alongside artists such as Sunlotus, Enola, Death of Heather, Terever, and Slowwves. Highly recommended for listeners of Whirr and DIIV.