On “Words We Couldn’t Say,” In The Afterglow conjures that delicate tension, the residue of things unsaid, the darkness that lingers when memories follow us around in silence.
The newest single from British-Canadian producer Alfred Hermida’s dream pop project is a memory-tinted exhalation coated in swirly guitar textures and ghostly ambiance. With each lingering chord, “Words We Couldn’t Say” is like flipping through an old photo album in slow motion, the faces blurred but the feelings still in sharp focus.
This one is remarkable for having the space for reflection. The guitar carries the melody, drifting like fog over a moonlit cityscape. The droned-out vocals, shrouded in layers of reverb and dangling suspended in a dreamlike haze, function more like memories resurfacing than a narrative. It’s an immersive listen, drawing you into an intimate emotional place without saying too much, just enough for you to feel something is being left behind.
The Hermida trademark sound of shoegaze and dream pop is presented in full force. It is heavily influenced by genre forebearers like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine but free of recollections. Instead, In The Afterglow is subtly reinventing the genre. Vancouver-based and operating at the crossroads of classic soundscapes and futuristic AI advancements, Hermida owns an indebted and forward-looking world.
“Words We Couldn’t Say” is not just for the shoegaze curious. It is for anyone who has held onto a moment that was somehow more than what they could describe. It’s a soundtrack for small realizations, midnight drives, and unread letters.
An achingly beautiful song full of lush, melodic atmospherics and emotive nuances, The Afterglow powerfully reminds us that the strongest truths are often those left unsaid. It carves mood and memory into sound. On this track, silence never sounded so poignantly beautiful.
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