The Third Eye

Meltt is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based band that makes “alterna-psych rock for your daydreams.” We covered the release of their single “Soak My Head” earlier this year, and now the band is releasing a new album called Eternal Embers on September 22, 2023. 

Thematically, the record covers some weighty topics, such as social media anxiety, technology addiction, and grieving over the loss of a parent to ALS. Musically, it showcases the band’s impeccable ear for buzzing shoegaze guitars, otherworldly keys, and evocative vocals. It’s all wrapped up with a widescreen, airtight psychedelic instrumentation projected through three-dimensional emotion.

About Meltt and Eternal Embers

Meltt is a four-piece band that’s racked up millions of streams online, so it’s safe to say many in the psychedelic scene may have heard of them. They have an indie neo-psychedelic sound that’ll appeal to many, especially fans of bands like Melody’s Echo Chamber and Slow Pulp.

Eternal Embers is their second full-length album and the first since 2019’s Swim Slowly. The band has also released a smattering of singles and EPs, including remixes of Swim Slowly in 2020 and the Visions EP in 2017.

Meltt says their music enables rock, alternative, and psychedelia to exist in one creative ecosystem held together by their deft songwriting. “All these elements blaze brightly on the group’s second full-length offering, Eternal Embers.”

The Songs

Eternal Embers contains 14 tracks and judging by the band’s statements, this is intended to be a rather epic display of artistry. The record starts with “Into the Blue,” which has an interesting backstory. The song is inspired by the documentary Jago: A Life Underwater about Indonesian freedivers.

“The imagery of freediving and pressure of all the water and pulse synth of the intro feels like a heartbeat,” the band says on Bandcamp. “And as the song goes on, going deeper and deeper until the bridge at the end is rushing to the surface.”

“Into the Blue” shows that Meltt takes their songwriting craft seriously, and it doesn’t hurt that the song has serious earworm hooks. With this intro track, though, Eternal Embers is just getting started.

“When The Smoke Abates” hits just right with a chill and melancholy feel. I get the feeling this could be one of the songs about grieving the loss of a parent. The slightly distorted vocals have a sweet touch, along with the shimmering guitars. 

“Another Quiet Sunday Morning (Keep Moving On)” is another track heavy on atmospherics. The shoegaze guitars and smooth drumbeat paint another melancholy picture as the vocals come into focus. “Someday, we’ll meet again/For now, I have to keep moving on.” It’s a poignant song about the grieving process – when it feels like the world stops when a loved one passes, but you’re left with no choice but to pick up the pieces with your broken heart.

“Only In Your Eyes” is much more up-tempo than the previous tracks, with an excellent dancehall rhythm. It’s a type of neo-psychedelic pop that will appeal to many listeners. “Within You, Within Me” also brings the funk; I’m guessing this may be a fan favorite to see live. The falsetto vocal parts, the jangling keys, and the pumping drums conjure pictures of a psychedelic discotheque.

“Do You Ever Wonder” is a synth-heavy song where the marvelous drumming is also on display. At this point, I noticed what an excellent nighttime album this is – perfect for those lonely nights at home. “The Absent Sea” begins with an almost Asian melody, another reflective track where the vocals have a more ominous edge. It’s a great song with Meltt’s trademark sound that conveys a yearning for connection.

“(Hummingbird in the Garden)” was surprising because of the use of acoustic guitar. Most of Meltt’s songs have a futuristic feel, but this track incorporated more rootsy sounds, though there’s still some synth involved.

“Blossoms” has some of the most mesmerizing synth playing on the album. It was another song that made me think about the album’s theme of internet and social media addiction. Blossoms – another yearning to get back to earth.

“Aphantasian Dreams” brings a solid rhythm and more whispered, sleepy vocals, confirming this record as a late-night jam. “The Fire” is another track with great synth work, a more Eighties-robotic feel to this one. Like much of the album, the shoegaze guitar-playing doesn’t take the lead but is absorbed into the other sounds of the track to create a gorgeous soundscape.

We’d be remiss not to mention “Soak My Head,” one of the singles. There’s more urgency in the vocals on this track, and it’s catchy as hell. “When I live this way/can’t help but feel I’ve gone astray” is one line from the song. This was a track that most obviously felt connected to the social media anxiety theme and a longing to connect more with the natural world.

Final Thoughts

Eternal Embers is a highly enjoyable listen that’s poppy without being overly so and brings emotional depth and weight. It’s obvious the band poured their heart and soul into this record, and whether they’re singing about grief or technology addiction, each key, guitar note, and verse can hit you between the eyes.

It was interesting to parse out the thematic elements of Eternal Embers, and it felt like many of the songs, like “Blossoms” and “Soak My Head,” are urgent cries to step away from screens and back into the world. This fascinated me because the music itself has a very slick production sound and an absence of acoustic sounds (except one track) that you’d associate with a back-to-the-land movement. It’s as if Meltt is self-aware enough to know their tendency to rely on the digital world but yearns to transcend it.

Even if you don’t want to dig too deep into the lyrics and themes, I recommend Eternal Embers for those who enjoy a smooth neo-psych pop/alternative sound. The album will be released on September 22, so head to Bandcamp now to pre-order if you like what you hear.

Support Meltt by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Instagram, Facebook).

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