On Do I Look Like I’m In Love?, Portland post-punk revival band The Prids combine a gloomy 80s-influenced style with the warm and comfy sound of shoegaze. At the core of their songs is a clear influence from bands like Bloc Party and Interpol: old-school post-punk with a modern indie twist. The album’s heavier songs, such as “Elizabeth Ann” and album standout “Lie Here,” feature driving basslines and upbeat drums, but fill out the mix with walls of guitar and synth sounds, resulting in a sound that’s ethereal but still rhythmic and grounded. There’s some great variety to the instrumental work—”Haunted” makes use of echoing U2-style guitar strums, while others experiment with soft synth and organ sounds. The Prids are perhaps at their best when they fully embrace the shoegaze; the title track will appeal to Whirr and Nothing fans, and “English Treasure” is a post-rock slow-builder that ends up as a roar of beautiful noise. The magic of Do I Look Like I’m In Love? comes from how well the different sounds play off of one another—the droning and echoing guitars and ethereal vocals feel like they could float away, but the pounding rhythms keep everything held down.
-Andrew Bennett