"the sun is creeping through the blinds / you reach for your phone and / try to remember last night / and dust flows across your face / and just for a moment / all those thoughts are erased..."
The emotional vortex, the cold plunge memories of "Sunday Scaries" (YGBA), by Wolf Mask, the latest artistic iteration of South Carolina songwriter Ross Bogan (Doom Flamingo), is a dense imaginative organic / synthetic ride. To go for the obvious, the soundscape has a sheen of sandpaper distortion on all the synths and the programmed drums too, not that there aren't sounds with cleaner edges. You feel more clarity in the electric guitar open chords, in the stately almost church like organ sounds and Bogan's vocal countenance that while cast in some kind of vocal effect or reverb is not obscured in a harmful way. This is to say that you can feel the emotional depth fully in his vocals.
I, personally, whether Beach House is an inspiration or not feel a lot of "Depression Cherry" (their 5th album) here, not in a copycat sort of way but in the expression of droning sadness and glimmering keyboard runs over a mournful bass pattern. Whereas Beach House goes for a light fog approach, Bogan crafts a dense cold fog with maybe more sonic toxicity (maybe a strange way to put it). I love this approach, it makes for a darker ride. I also, for whatever reason thought of bands like Cemeteries and Fad Gadget (an obscure older band).
https://www.instagram.com/rossboganswolfmask
Ross Bogan of Doom Flamingo unmasked his newest project Wolf Mask with the release of “Liquid Crystal Display.” Bogan uses past prose, a wolf mask, and his horror interests to depict a character he admits has a lot of his own psyche. This is the first release in preparation for their debut performance October 1st, as well as the future full album. “It’s kind of an attempt at finishing out demos I wrote for other projects that snowballed into a solo project/live band.” In regards to “Liquid Crystal Display,” “The lyrics are edited from a stream of consciousness I wrote in 2020. I actually didn’t even have the mask yet.” “As far as the name goes I’ve always liked writing from theme and character perspectives. It’s like clockwork though how the subconscious creeps up and I end up learning something about myself in the process. There’s a Stephen King quote I’ve always loved, “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” In some ways it’s a character but it’s also a whole lot of me. At the end of the day, It’s a collection of songs I like to write from me and my wolf mask and a great excuse to mess with synthesizers and guitar pedals.”
Back to the heaviness here, while tonally this song could be in a strange movie (think Donnie Darko or last years Cuckoo directed by Tilman Singer) within the melancholia there are really pretty sonics and endearingly sad lyrics being sung. The mood shift, the runaway nature of the outro is brilliant too, "you're going to be alright" awash in hazey synths.
"Sunday Scaries" is the title track of Wolf Mask's recently release full length album. About the album the artist shares this:
[This album has been a part of my sobriety journey. It's about dealing with depression and anxiety and just telling those that are struggling that they will be ok! YGBA.]
The Official Video for "Sunday Scaries" feels perfect for this track. Read more liner notes below and enjoy this song that will likely be one that sticks with you, in the recesses of your mind all day.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.instagram.com/rossboganswolfmask
Ross Bogan of Doom Flamingo unmasked his newest project Wolf Mask with the release of “Liquid Crystal Display.” Bogan uses past prose, a wolf mask, and his horror interests to depict a character he admits has a lot of his own psyche. This is the first release in preparation for their debut performance October 1st, as well as the future full album. “It’s kind of an attempt at finishing out demos I wrote for other projects that snowballed into a solo project/live band.” In regards to “Liquid Crystal Display,” “The lyrics are edited from a stream of consciousness I wrote in 2020. I actually didn’t even have the mask yet.” “As far as the name goes I’ve always liked writing from theme and character perspectives. It’s like clockwork though how the subconscious creeps up and I end up learning something about myself in the process. There’s a Stephen King quote I’ve always loved, “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” In some ways it’s a character but it’s also a whole lot of me. At the end of the day, It’s a collection of songs I like to write from me and my wolf mask and a great excuse to mess with synthesizers and guitar pedals.”
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