Review: Garage punk band Labasheeda’s album ‘Blueprints’

By Jess Joy, Rock At Night Toronto

Review: Labasheeda’s album Blueprints-November 3 2023

With vocals reminiscent of Chrissie Hynde mixed with hints of Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, and sonic textures that could be at home in 80’s alternative, the Amsterdam trio Labasheeda bestows us with the interesting new album Blueprints.

A tight 39 minutes, this album will quickly draw you into its bitter-sweet world of angst, longing, and hope familiar to bands like The Cure. On first listen my ear was drawn to the guitar heavy tracks of ‘Closure’ and ‘Curiosity.’ But a plethora of interesting textures are explored in other songs and the exquisite instrumental ‘Volatile,’ with its chilling and mournful strings, sent my skin straight to goosebumps. Other perhaps more introspective pieces such as the fragile ‘Vanity’ add further interest. You may notice many songs on the album are given one-word titles. To me this reflects the openness and breathability the musicians put into their music, leaving it up to us to interpret what we may about each piece.

Production wise, the album has a refreshing live feel. It evokes a feeling of being inches from the band, maybe in a candlelit room surrounded by red drapery. There’s a timeless quality to this album, almost like you could find it alongside Lou Reed’s 60s, Siouxsie and the Banshees 80’s, and also 90’s grunge. It even suggests at older, mysterious medieval times. This is a very cohesive album with a distinct authorial voice, and one I’d highly recommend for enlivening a gloomy winter day.

BAND

Saskia van der Giessen – vocals, guitar, violin, viola, piano
Arne Wolfswinkel – guitar, bass guitar, piano
Bas Snabilie – drums, marimba, synthesizer, percussion

Recorded, mixed & mastered at The Lullabye Factory, Amsterdam
Engineers – Christoph Walter & Tim van Veen