New York act Gardenia encapsulates patience and intention on their self-titled second album, weaving an introspective tale on how intimacy erodes under the pressures of modern life and media.
Opening with reflective and honest “Magazines” on what remains after the spotlight fades, the album instantly unveils a strong emotional core which stretches into tracks like “Lana Del Rey,” and “I Miss You, Alexa”
Led by towering basslines, propulsive drums and expressive delivery, the tracks dive into disappointment from varied perspectives. Where one paints America as a lover who has disappointed you, the other is a personal story of heavy realisations of how forgettable you were someone.
From intimate offerings the album takes a step back into the distance on tracks like “Smoke In My Hands,” and “Where Are You,” which explores helplessness, reflection, and loss with tender observation. Meanwhile, their cover of MGMT’s “Electric Feel,” transforms a familiar pop offering into a heavier sound that brims with a sense of something unresolved.
Co-produced by the band alongside Grammy-nominated producer Jack Shirley, the album is one that extracts clarity from distorted textures, with aggressive tones intertwining into pop-led, grounded storytelling.
Singer/bassist Ryan Zakin and drummer Tamir Malik met while working together at a Manhattan recording studio. Building an enduring sonic identity built on Malik’s unrelenting drumming, Zakin’s rhythmic yet melodic bass and versatile vocals that switching brooding to booming with ease, Gardenia’s scorching but emotive musicality is one that resonates with a power and presence you simply can’t ignore.
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