The opening note of The Vacant Stars Of Wandering Souls invites you to a very serene and somberly uplifting world. 23 Fields are returning with their third album and it is a leap in sound and creative vision. They have harmonized folk, rock, and Americana to create a sound that is warm, thoughtful, and very human.
The album explores the themes of love, time, and finding meaning in a world that may seem far away and unrelated, permeated by the sincere songwriting and vocals by Step. These songs reflect a sense of wandering in life without giving up hope of having a real connection and a sense of belonging.
The music does not strike you with loud, dramatic moments but rather slowly builds up and allows emotions to breathe and naturally settle.
The production is worthy of high regards. Light guitars, tender synthesizers, and wide arrangements make the atmosphere both filmic and warm simultaneously. There is purposeful use of silence and space and each note is countable. The vocal of Step flows so naturally between internal and external experience, which adds to each song a degree of heartfelt and close-to-home emotional resonance.
This album is really glorified when listened to directly, as a nocturnal ride of silent exploration and contemplation. The vacant stars of wandering souls is a touching and emotional release, a piece that demonstrates that 23 Fields keeps evolving without forgetting their human side.
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