Shoegaze is a complex genre that can float in and out of heaviness with ease.  I love the versatility of it and the ever underlying dreaminess.  trauma ray has mastered shoegaze and that layered, textured sound in their debut full-length album Chameleon.  There is a mix of heavy, ethereal, grunge, pop-punk, instrumental, and more woven throughout that makes the album dynamic and captivating.  The tracks gently float into the next creating a cohesiveness and a peaceful movement.  The subject matter of the album is quite heavy and emotive but the overall provocation is introspection and ultimately catharsis.  Chameleon is an album to fully immerse in.

Singer/vocalist Uriel Avila while contributing to the writing of the album was heavily inspired by his background and escape from a devout Pentecostal community.  Themes of guilt, purgatory, and the afterlife are easily picked up on and add to the emotional authenticity and complexity of Chameleon.  The array of influences enhances the overall listening experience.  The album opens with a catchy guitar melody before drums are introduced, some screeching feedback, and then the track fully comes to life.  While “Ember” is a song of grief lyrically, the music is uplifting and holds more of a 90’s alternative groove akin to Sunny Day Real Estate.  The title track welcomes in some post-hardcore elements with a catchy bass-line and heavier riffs, but lighter airier vocals again embracing this contrast and stirring emotions as well as invoking reflection.

A favorite track of mine is “Bishop” which is a faster paced song with heavier guitars and thick walls of sound acting as a release of energy.  It is one of the more powerful songs on Chameleon and the first single released giving a perfect taste of what was to come.  Halfway through comes “Drift,” an instrumental piece that calms things down with swirling tones and almost sounds like dreamy elevator music.  This offers a transition into the second half of the album where instead of focusing on death, grief, and mourning, it centers on remembrance, dreams, and light.  “Spectre” comes shortly after, a slower, quieter track with haunting melodies and harmonies that eventually picks up to add some depth with guitars and a looming bass line.  “U.S.D.D.O.S” closes everything out and spans just over seven minutes.  The dreamy track slows things down and gives a steady tempo and sound that is easy to get lost in.  

This is one of my favorite releases of 2024.  I absolutely love shoegaze and have followed trauma ray since their start in 2018 when the band released a self-titled EP.  Chameleon is expertly crafted and involved with each minute offering something interesting and different enough to make each track notable.  The album moves through emotions and sounds with ease, gently carrying listeners along.  It is beautiful, haunting, relatable, and vibrant. I cannot recommend Chameleon enough because it fits into many categories and brought to mind several different bands and albums while still being something unique that stands strong on its own.  Even more impressive is the fact that this is a debut full-length release from a newer band but I believe this well establishes their path and mark in the shoegaze scene.  

— Angela

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Chameleon is available now via Dias Records.  For more information on trauma ray, visit their Facebook page.