GGGOLDDD (formerly known as Gold) have always resisted fitting into a single mold. While their vision has hovered around an alternative and indie rock foundation, they have freely explored adjacent spaces. Electronic components were introduced, metallic elements have been applied and a punk-ish fervor would now and then rear its head. And this has resulted in some excellent works with Optimist and Why Aren’t You Laughing? standing out. And yet, listening to This Shame Should Not Be Mine it feels like everything GGGOLDDD have done so far was to simply prepare for this moment.
The past of GGGOLDDD was defined by a post-punk ethos. The new wave influence was loud and clear, echoing through the bass lines of “You Too Must Die” and “Please Tell Me You Are Not The Future”. This Shame Should Not Be Mine still uses this as a pillar but introduces further layers in the foundations. This leads to a combination of the mechanical and the organic. On one hand an electronic quality, a synthetic machination of intricate design and on the other end the rock form. Opener “I Wish I Was A Wild Things With A Simple Heart” is an amalgamation of these two sides, the synthesizers crafting this off-kilter space while the post-rock infused guitars, in the end, bring in the organic element. This duality leads to mesmerizing moments, spinning into various pathways. “Spring” sees a minimal perspective blossom, only to result in a doom beatdown, infusing the endeavor with a sense of grandeur. “Notes On How To Trust” see the two sides of this duality collide, as does closer “Beat By Beat” where electro and noise rock clash.
What this electronic component has achieved is to create an intricate setting, filled with off-kilter ideas. Indeed, some of the choices go beyond being merely adventurous. The clunky keyboards and strange instrumentation of “I Won’t Let You Down” seem out of place, and yet they work perfectly alongside the stunning vocal delivery. Similarly, the title track sees a theremin-like sound create a magical interlude, with a Middle-Eastern-inspired melody standing against the electronic progression. Past and present co-exist in GGGOLDDD’s vision. And as has been done before with “White Noise” from Optimist, so is the case now, with GGGOLDDD evoking more extreme elements, in their slight black metal touch in “Like Magic”. A cool dissonant injection within the otherwise melodic facade, to even things out.
This Shame Should Not Be Mine is a triumphant moment for GGGOLDDD. It is a work driven by ambition, but without forgetting the emotive roots of the act. Here, the personal stories of Milena Eva echo with pain and sentiment. “Strawberry Supper” transforms from a sparse and ethereal presence into a hardcore rage, without losing any of its vulnerability in the process. The alterations in “Invisible” have a similar effect, as GGGOLDDD pass seamlessly through heavy electronics and dance invocations to solitary clean passages. On top of all that, Eva’s a-cappella performance through “On You” tears through space and time with the excellent processing working in its favor. It all shows that GGGOLDDD have not abandoned their past. They have not left behind their core identity, but rather augmented it in a very ambitious manner. And it has worked in their favor, making This Shame Should Not Be Mine their strongest work to date.
