Caroline - Dark Blue / BRJ EP Review

The music progresses into a mesmerising dream of sound that harkens back to the likes of American Football.

I was fortunate enough to receive the link for the live performance of ‘Dark Blue’ early and was blown away by the lush atmosphere Caroline creates. The two-track 12” released via Rough Trade Records is Caroline’s first foray into the physical realm. Caroline initially started as a three-piece but soon expanded to a massive eight performers. Since their formation in 2017 they’ve slowly rebuilt and reworked improvisations into incredibly satisfying dreamy soundscapes. They’ve managed to create a beautifully magnetic sound by taking influence from Midwestern ‘emo’ to minimalist classical whilst somehow drawing from certain forms of dance music too. 

‘Dark Blue’ starts with hypnotic guitars and a kick drum akin to a heart beat. This meditative mantra slowly builds with more reverb-drenched violins and guitar. The violins almost reminds of the frantic behaviour of the violins on early Velvet Underground records. Towards the three-minutes mark the singer, muffled in the background, sings ‘I want it all’ — perhaps a projection of the band and their aims for the future? The music progresses into a mesmerising dream of sound that harkens back to the likes of American Football. Dark Blue is a contemplative meditation of spangling guitars and drone-like violins.


‘BRJ’ is an eight-minute journey of entrancing guitar strums and ethereal synths. The reverb on both of these tracks is so soothing. There is a real attention to dynamics, slowly fading out with enough background distortion towards the end.

‘Dark Blue’ is truly the stand out track here but for a band with eight members and such a unique sound ‘BRJ’ makes for a calmingly welcome addition; and it will be interesting to see more of their future output.