Last year, Will Kraus — who releases dense, blistering shoegaze tracks under his surname — spoke with Pitchfork about his often vague lyrical style. “It’s about half just speaking into the mic and half actual words,” he explained, adding, “I don’t feel like I’m a strong enough writer yet to really have the lyrics take center stage.”
While Kraus hasn’t dramatically sharpened his lyricism on his second album, Path (released in March via Terrible Records), his sorrowful, reverberating vocals and melancholic lyrics come across more distinctly than they did on his endearing 2016 debut, End Tomorrow.
Still, Kraus’s hazy approach remains a strength. When the thundering guitars, explosive drums, and carefully placed samples come together to form piercing melodies—especially on tracks like “Big Blood”—his emotional vocal howls only add more power to the intensity of the song.
Kraus excels at keeping his music and his message dreamlike and elusive. On the airy, almost ambient closing track, “Mostly,” his words dissolve completely into the soundscape—and it’s hard to be upset about it.
