In the vast and ever-evolving landscape of alternative rock, few bands manage to carve out a sound so distinct and evocative that it transcends mere music to become an experience. VGmates is one such entity, a group that blends the raw energy of rock with the intricate layers of electronic soundscapes and traditional live instrumentation. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, the band has cultivated a sound that is as haunting as it is powerful, enriched by the delicate yet striking presence of instruments such as the Irish tin whistle, duduk, and shakuhachi.
All Anew was one of those albums I’ve heard through this blog that I would describe as truly original. Drawing on Aboriginal and Slavic sounds, they mixed traditional and modern in a way I’ve not heard elsewhere.
Their new EP Черным по белому (translated to English as In Black and White) very much picks up where All Anew left off in that regard. It brings in Irish flute alongside traditional instruments like the duduk and shakuhachi as it reflects on three years of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. As the band put it, it’s a time where “the world lost its shades of gray, leaving only black and white.”
Through their new EP, VGmates continue to prove their uniqueness while also saying something incredibly important about the state of the world. It’s a triumph.
