Photo by Karo Melocra

2025 has become the year where bands once dubbed as this new wave of electronic experimental shoegaze no longer are so easy to collect into the same section of the sonic Venn diagram, and that’s totally cool, because it’s as intriguing to see where they land as they all deviate into their own paths. Former BuzzSound Sword II were amongst those to fall into that realm upon releasing their 2023 debut full-length, Spirit World Tour, and on “Ever if it’s Just a Dream” — the lead single to their sophomore follow-up Electric Hour — they’re hinting at a similar stylistic swerve akin to the recently recommended effort from their former tourmates, Hotline TNT, in clarifying the focus in their own version of what that means.

Our modern day tech dystopia may also have had something to do with impressing bolder realizations into the Atlanta trio’s next phase. Vocalist Mari González fantasizes advances in sci-fi horrors becoming our everyday reality throughout an eerie, yet morbidly romantic lullaby. It’s less pixelated noise-pop and renders otherworldliness in our now through lucid spells of dream-pop. “Passionate screams / I’ll have what she’s having / Even if our spring will be silent,” she caresses the cold exterior of our increasingly robotic limbs. “At our transfusion, I’ll still be screaming with her / And I won’t miss what they put inside her.” It’s said that we’re sleepwalking into our own destruction. Sword II are wondering out loud if this is what’s going through people’s heads as they trade what is human for the artificial.

Directed by: Dakotah Malisoff

Sword II’s Electric Hour will be released November 14th on section1.