A perfect album to fall asleep or vibe with. Not that I know what “vibing” means, I heard some cool kids saying it.
Not that an album being recommended for sleep aid is a bad thing either, I sure need them, and love Ruby Throat for the same deal. Interestingly, The Lost Letters is potentially the only album that we have covered so far that perfectly suits a low volume, and also put Taiwan on our map.
Dream-Pop isn’t a genre that I have ever had any real interest in and so struggle to criticise, but here with have the sound and energy comparable to the shoegaze and experimental indie of the 80s and early 90s that I grew up with. Simply don’t take my opinion too harshly.
Mostly instrumental, the music is gentle and moody, featuring slow and repetitive tracks that aim for atmosphere over melodies. The combination of folky, intricate guitars, tender vocal delivery and spacey backing tracks would be perfectly suited as the soundtrack to an emotional drama, with the darker likes of Cecile and brighter Sails and Sou’Wester.
The 35 minute runtime barely feels like 20, but listening on the way to work wasn’t a great idea, I should stick to the heavier stuff for those early journeys. Unfortunately it can slip into becoming background music, at least for me, but that’s not to say that The Lost Letters isn’t a rewarding experience when you are paying full attention with the finer details at play that subtly build the full portrait.
Off the back of a slew of wildly experimental, ambient and loud noise releases, the fact that I can say that I would listen to this album again after posting this review should be more than enough to show that The Lost Letters have a solid album here. The production quality may not be perfect, but it suits the natural free-flowing feel of the album.
If you’re in the market for a more gentle and ambient piece, this is an album you should most definitely consider!
Jake Hancke – 06/05/2024
The Lost Letters is available digitally or on a limited edition hand numbered CD from BandCamp.
You can find more on The Lost Letters via Coju Records
The Cauteriser 
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