Belgium Folk-Noir duo Imaginary Sister delve deep into raw, natural, sounds and introspective storytelling. On their debut album ‘We became quite good at hesitating’ the production creates an immersive intimate atmosphere as if you are sitting in an empty wooden cabin listening to the pair strum their poignant acoustic musings.
The opening track ‘White Socks’ builds an eery tension with a perpetuating acoustic chord that churns and churns. Meanwhile the lyrics intently intimate and physical, describing intimate touches of affection and creating a visceral semantic field around the song. At times you almost feel awkward, as if you have stepped into another couple’s love story, yet the sonic development of the track invites you to enjoy the deep feelings of romance and perfectly sets the intimate tone for the rest of the album.
‘Forces’ is a standout moment within the album as the instrumentation reaches its richest and warmest moment and the vocals provide their most captivating performance. The acoustics are bittersweet, slightly haunting and melancholic in moments, however they switch to a more uplifting tone in short bursts when the vocals rise within the chorus. The vocals are heartfelt and sweep you along into an meaningful, expressive folk tale. It is a fantastic demonstration of their emotive power.
‘Exceptionally Pretty’ is another more stripped back, intimate track that showcases the pure vocal talent at play as the vocal hums rise and fall with a silky finesse. ‘I’m So Sweet’ is perhaps the highest energy moment in the records journey with the bigger guitar chords provided a dense sonic texture at times. Yet, the track still ends with a crisp, some vocal performance filled with romance.
Finally, the album’s closing and title track offers one of the most captivating guitar rhythms of the album while the high vocals drift blissfully across this rhythmic bed of sound. It is a gentle yet catchy acoustic march that beautifully displays the duo’s collaborative process. They are audibley connected throughout the track with the vocals and guitar playing off each other in an acutely attuned fashion.
Overall, this is a wonderfully love-filled album that you can find yourself lost in. The duo open up their hearts to let you bask in their radiant romance.
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