From the opening notes of Cold Plunge, the second EP by the Dublin-based quartet of all living things, you’ll be immediately drawn into a world where melancholy sparkles and nostalgia lounge like a fading photograph. This 12” vinyl release is an expansive emotional landscape that captures the push-and-pull of introspection and the passage of time. With influences from shoegaze, dream pop, slowcore, and alternative rock, Cold Plunge takes a tender dive into a textural, luxuriant sonic realm.
The first thing that strikes the listening apparatus about Cold Plunge is its sonic architecture. The EP shines with a rich atmosphere, using layers of jangly and angular guitars drenched in reverb to create vast, echoic, intimate, and expansive spaces. This is not a record that rushes to make its point, it breathes and unfolds, revealing its layers slowly, like a winter fog dissipating at dawn. The guitars, a central element of their sound, oscillate between gentle cascades and piercing crescendos, conjuring comparisons to Mazzy Star’s shimmering melancholy and the angular intensity of Just Mustard. The melodies feel hauntingly familiar and distinct at the same time, making a delicate balance rarely achieved among shoegaze bands. An equally intricate rhythm section lies Beneath the swirling guitars. The basslines are vivid and melodic, grounding the songs while incorporating their own understated narratives. They carry a quiet intensity, serving as a bridge between the dreamy guitars and the listener’s heartbeat. The drumming is extraordinary, restrained when necessary, and explosive when called for. Every cymbal crash and snare hit feels purposeful, propelling the EP’s ethereal soundscapes into new emotional heights.
The vocal performance on Cold Plunge is an unquestionable standout, elevating the music beyond its instrumental brilliance. The lead vocals are soft yet commanding, delivering each lyric with a fragile honesty that feels deeply personal. Backing vocals beautifully harmonize, creating lush textures that envelop the listener like a warm embrace on a cold evening. The interplay between lead and backing vocals adds depth to the introspective themes, underscoring its emotional resonance. There’s a vulnerability in the delivery that makes the songs feel like they’re being whispered directly to you as if you’re sharing a secret moment with the band. Cold Plunge is a narrative journey. Written during a time of significant change for the band, the EP explores themes of nostalgia, growth, and the bittersweet nature of moving forward. These are songs born out of the “unforgiving nature of the working world,” as the band puts it, but they talk about many other themes along the way.
This duality is woven into the music itself. The slow, deliberate pacing of the songs mirrors the contemplative nature of their themes, while the lush instrumentation evokes a sense of longing and reverie. It’s a material that invites you to pause, reflect, and perhaps see your own experiences mirrored in its melancholic beauty. The production is integral to this material. Recorded in a dark rehearsal room over a bleak winter, the EP captures a somber and strangely comforting mood. The reverb-laden guitars, layered vocals, and textured arrangements create an immersive soundscape that feels like stepping into another world. What’s remarkable is how balanced everything feels. Despite the dense instrumentation, every element has room to breathe. The mix allows the intricate basslines and shimmering guitar tones to shine, while the vocals remain at the forefront, guiding the listener through the emotional terrain.
While Cold Plunge is deeply rooted in the shoegaze and dream pop traditions of the nineties, it’s far from a mere homage. Of all living things have managed to distill the essence of their influences, Low’s slow-burning intensity, Yo La Tengo’s melodic charm, and the raw vulnerability of early Slowdive, into something distinctly their own. There’s also a contemporary edge to the EP, with angular guitar lines and rhythmic complexity that nods to modern innovators like DIIV or Just Mustard. This blending of past and present gives Cold Plunge a timeless quality, ensuring its appeal to fans of classic shoegaze as well as those drawn to the genre’s current revival. One of the most impressive aspects of Cold Plunge is its restraint. The band understands the power of subtlety, allowing their songs to build slowly and organically. There are no flashy solos or over-the-top crescendos here, just a careful balance of tension and release that keeps the listener engaged from scratch to finish.
This restraint extends to the pacing as well. Each song feels like a chapter in a larger story, with the quieter moments serving as a counterpoint to the more explosive passages. This ebb and flow creates a sense of movement, drawing the listener deeper into this expansive sonic universe. If Cold Plunge were a season, it would undoubtedly be winter. There’s a chill to its sound, a sense of isolation and introspection that feels deeply tied to the colder months. Yet within that chill lies a warmth, a sense of connection and understanding that makes this EP feel strangely comforting. This duality is perhaps what makes Cold Plunge so compelling. It’s an album that embraces life’s complexities, acknowledging the change while celebrating the beauty of growth and memory. It’s music for those quiet moments when you’re alone with your thoughts, but it’s also music that begs to be shared, inviting others into its world of shimmering soundscapes and heartfelt emotion.
Of all living things have crafted a timeless piece of art. It exemplifies to the power of shoegaze music to capture the intricacies of human emotion, to make the intangible tangible. It’s an EP that demands your attention, rewarding those who take the time to immerse themselves in its depths. Of all living things proven themselves to be a band with a clear vision and the talent to bring it to life. With Cold Plunge, they’ve created a record that not only reflects their own journey but invites listeners to embark on one of their own. Head to Blowtorch Records for more information about ordering.
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