Photo: John Imrie
Highly acclaimed since its release a month ago, with our own Geoff Topley commenting, “If you yearn for blissed out sounds, psychedelic guitar tones and trippy head music, then this is the album for you”, The Start Of The End is an album quite unlike anything that The Oscillation have ever released before. Fuelled by optimism and taking stock of what’s good about life and what needs to be jettisoned, the record is a result of spiritual and physical re-charging and cleansing.
Leaving the claustrophobic environs of the big city for a more bucolic backdrop, the change in location has left a profound mark on Demian Castellanos.. Where the exorcism of dark emotions of previous album Untold Futures left Castellanos wondering if he’d ever make music again, his new surroundings stirred something within him.
Clearly a track very personal to him, Demian writes of ‘Sovereign’:
The video is the last of three for the album with long time collaborator Julian Hand, who has the unenviable task of trying to make sense of whatever random thoughts I try to explain to him.It’s a big nod to early Verve and Spiritualized, and the shoegaze era, when a lot of bands made beautiful, ethereal heavenly music. I was feeling the need to put out something uplifting for the times we are in, and create a feeling to love life, and get away from dark nihilism/pessimism.When I was recording, the track also became quite a personal, sentimental memory postcard to a friend of mine, who was one of Tom Rellen’s best friends since childhood. I had this scene that appeared in my head like a movie of them as teenagers at a Verve show, as I remember Tom saying they went to see them millions of times in the early days and having their minds blown.Sometimes life feels like a movie and I’m trying to figure out how I ended up in it. Maybe others can relate. . .I was also contemplating life/death/God a lot; what are we doing here? where are we going when we pass away? and that life is some kind of spiritual test. Whatever the case, I wanted to put my all into making something uplifting. so hopefully that comes across in the music.
Released on May 24 2024 via All Time Low, The Start Of The End is a line in the sand, and one that points to a better tomorrow. It can be purchased and downloaded here on Bandcamp.
Additionally, a Dinked vinyl limited edition will be available from these independent record shops.
