Review | DOUR – AGORA

Label: Tuna Records

By Charlie Pinhey

DOUR are a gloomwave band from Vancouver. Gloomwave may be unknown to some and sound a little niche compared to other more commonly referred to sub-genres used to convey a band’s tone, such as shoegaze or post-punk. But once you get your ears into DOUR you will begin to understand the importance of gloomwave, whilst also appreciating this band’s inventiveness when it comes to creating a gothic atmosphere. Enter DOUR‘s debut album ‘AGORA’.

Opening track ‘Neophilliac’ plunges the listener into that gothic setting with echoey vocal tolls that hang the first part of the track together. Immediately I’m reminded of Fontaines D.C’s opener to 2022’s ‘Skinty Fia’, ‘In ár gCroíthe go deo’, for its similarly dramatic opening. Zac Salehian’s vocals remain understated as the track builds and combines neatly with the stretchy, industrial-sounding guitar, ‘Yes I hear ya. Always hear ya. Yes I hear ya. Always with ya’. The result is an opening track that sounds and feels wholly contemporary, fitting given that a ‘Neophilliac’ is someone who has a strong love for something new.

Second track ‘Towers’ together with the snappy, Idles-esque, ‘Laugh‘ are tracks where Gabe Jacob Ferman’s bass shines through and is all the more poignant since his sad passing. DOUR have since evolved into a new lineup for live shows. ‘Towers‘ explores the experience of self-imposed isolation but it is far from drab. A bouncy hi-hat and fierce rolling snare hits positions ‘Towers‘ as a post-indie foot-tapper, perfect for big top tents everywhere- perhaps because of the cocooning nature of these stage setups. Lead singer Zach Salehian says,  “Modern days have us in hibernation within human terrariums. We begin to isolate and curl into what becomes the most unique and advanced form of imprisonment. We create our own cells, as well fashion the key.”

‘Mundies’ sees DOUR briefly branch off into indie-surf with a clanging, yet slow, melody and a tidy backbeat. Lyrically ‘Mundies’ is perhaps ‘AGORA’’s most obvious nod to technology and algorithms orchestrating and manipulating our existence. ‘Piling up from the seams of old tethered truths. Perceiving. Yet not left leaving. A thought in your mind now.’ ‘Mundies’, therefore, is likely to be the album’s most ironic track given that a portion of DOUR’s listenership will likely arrive at ‘AGORA’ after being fed through an algorithm.

Closing track ‘Just enough rice’ brings ‘AGORA’ to a satisfying close. It’s softer in style and energy than previous tracks ‘Numbers’ and ‘Call’. Melodically it seems to take itself less seriously, but there’s a constant undercurrent of reflection brought to the centre of the track by some thought provoking licks.

The listener is left to ask themselves whether they are happy to be dialled into a system dictated by shifting algorithms? And, if so, why are we so willing to offer ourselves to those algorithms when they risk changing our cerebral functions?