Band of the Week: Bleach Burn

By Kylie Hogg

Local Music Journalist

Austin-based five-piece band Bleach Burn has been making music for the past two years. Silver Linings, the band’s debut album published in December 2022, takes a slow and sludgy introspective dive into heartbreaking subjects including drug usage and traumatic relationships. With fuzzy guitars and intense synthesizers, this album is sure to be a favorite for fans of shoegaze.

The group began in 2021 when producer Miguel Cuevas and vocalist Elise Cook met at school and released their first EP, Life Alone in the City. Following the release of the EP, Cuevas and Cook both devoted their focus into releasing a full length album. Around the same time, the two recruited the rest of their band: Haley Peck on bass, Lucas Almendra on drums, and Miranda Lewis on synthesizer. They have released multiple singles up to this point but have been focusing on creating a seamless debut LP.

Silver Linings is a forty-minute conversational piece that pays homage to its shoegaze roots from the 1990s. If you are a fan of bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Lush or The Jesus and Mary Chain, you are sure to enjoy this album. The best way I can describe the atmosphere that this album gives off would be that it reminiscent of a late night talk with your best friend about something that has been bothering you. The LP’s dreamy vocals and long, curious beats gave me goosebumps on my first listen and are always sure to calm my nerves.

While Cook emphasizes the deep emotional source that inspired them throughout most of the album, they said, “I like to write in a way that can be interpreted by whoever is listening.” This remains true throughout the entirety of Silver Linings. Using grungy monotone vocals, Bleach Burn puts a spotlight on the ambient nature of the melody as well as creates an overall mood within each song.

I got the chance to talk Cuevas and Cook for a bit recently and asked them if they enjoyed producing or performing more due to the intense emotional nature of their music. They said that, while they are grateful for their opportunity to be able to perform live, they love the outlet that songwriting and producing gives them. It’s no doubt that Bleach Burn is very eager to get back into another project soon. I am hoping they will ride the wave of excitement following their first album release and continue perfecting their production quality. The way they focus on conversationality over vocal melody is interesting, and I am intrigued to see how they will expand further. Without a doubt, Bleach Burn has a bright future ahead.

Featured Image from Bleach Burn.