Silk’s new single July is like stepping into a foggy dream you don’t really want to wake up from. It opens with this calm, almost weightless instrumental, soft snare taps, gentle drumbeat, and airy guitar textures pulling you in slow. But not too slow. Before you know it, the track lifts and expands into almost ghost-like vocals rising into a wall of sound that feels big and intentionally hazy. If you’re into shoegaze that leans into mood more than clarity, this one’s absolutely your thing.
The vocals stay this way throughout acting more like a layer of texture than a clear focal point and it really works here. There’s something about how they sit in a place that feels just out of reach that adds to the song’s feeling of bittersweet distance. The guitars shimmer and fuzz in waves, but it’s the drums that really stood out for me. They cut through and give July its pulse. They’re crisp with just enough variation throughout that it guids you through the blur in a way that feels dreamy.
You can hear the growth from previous tracks, July feels very complete and confident. It still has that experimental edge, but it’s refined and purposeful. The sound is dense, textured, and a little melancholic, but with enough punch to keep you engaged right to the end.
Live, this could be a whole different beast. With Irish dates lined up from Belfast to Waterford and Limerick over the next couple of months, July might be the perfect set-opener or closer, something to lose yourself in as lights dim and fuzz fills the room. This is just the beginning of what Silk’s aiming for, there’s definitely more to come that’s worth sticking around for.
‘July’ gets a well deserved 7 out of 10
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography