'
Sanctuary' sees
Gengahr explore further afield out from their usual mild-yet-sweet dream pop. Though still intricate and intact, the sonic shift to grittier territories is exhilarating - and makes sense when considering the record was inspired by frontman Felix's mother's death and his long-distance relationship with his wife.
Though tackling difficult subject matters, the album feels buoyant and bright. '
Atlas Please' sets the mood with twinkling grooves, '
Heavenly Maybe' is funk heavy and drips in disco lights. The sharper moments are fantastic and grasp your attention tightly with both hands, like the hazy and dark trip-hop of '
Never A Low', and the chaotically fun album highlight 'You're No Fun', that feels beautifully oxymoronic with Felix's sleepy vocals against punk guitars.
While 2018's '
Where Wildness Grows' was a natural progression from 2015's '
A Dream Outside', 'Sanctuary' is a monumental shift in the right direction - it's a record that's boldly more expansive and electrifyingly curious.
