A flourishing combination of Americana and dream pop, far from something that’s been previously experimented with, forms the foundation of Taxiway’s debut record. As someone who adores music that evokes emotion about spaces, ‘Absence’ does so combining the luscious and ethereal atmosphere of dream pop alongside the raw emotion and keenly observant lyricism of heartland Americana. There’s a prevailing sense of loneliness that makes itself known through the record. But, it’s precisely this feeling of not being seen, of being unnoticed and unappreciated by the places and people around you that defines ‘Absence’ in theme and execution. Theirs a burning need for the characters in this album to be seen and appreciated, they want people to feel their absence. So, in that middle ground between a yearning to travel and a burning desire to feel seen, Absence finds itself.
That sentiment is echoed on the first track clearer than on any other piece in my opinion. ‘Nobody’s Watching’ immediately has you feeling that deep sense of longing and detachment that Taxiway try to illuminate. It’s got a vapid ethereal atmosphere to it, an emptiness that is echoed in the echoes of the vocals on the piece. On ‘Prime Meridian’, you feel the wanderlust of the narrator, the annoyance at being trapped in a single place, and the undying need to move above and beyond. But travel comes at a cost, and that cost is simply too much for the narrator to come up with it. A conundrum that’s far too relatable and painful. The arrangement of this record is so innately soothing, a longing sadness that feels eternal. There are also more quirky stories, like ‘Four Star’, which delves into spite, resentment, and replacement all at once.
A masterfully written project, with lyricism that consistently provokes your own emotion backed with production that has you perpetually intrigued and amazed. ‘Absence’ is a deeply moving record, that places a desire to move and be revered front and centre. In its moroseness, there’s upliftment to be unravelled.