Considering all the dark, weird, noisy music that comes out on the Flenser, you might not expect Orbweaving to be part of their catalog. It fits in their usual MO, to be sure, but this collaboration between shoegaze retroist Vyva Melinkolya and “Heaven Metal” artist Midwife is far more gentle and gorgeous than most of their labelmates (see: Chat Pile, Have a Nice Life, Planning For Burial, etc.).

That said, these delicate pop songs are rooted in a sonic sensibility that firmly ties them to that context, though making for a far less hostile listening experience than their colleagues.

Madeline Johnston (Midwife) and Angel Diaz (Vyva Melinkolya) both create music out of a sonic space that values atmosphere just as much as songwriting. Loud volumes and sometimes harsh sounds are juxtaposed against delicate vocals and bedroom pop aesthetics. For Midwife, it takes the form of a meditative slowcore she calls “Heaven Metal.” Vyva Melnkolya on the other hand delivers a classic shoegaze sound that channels bands like Lush and Cocteau Twins.

The two projects seem like an obvious pair, especially when you know how close the two people behind the projects have become since the start of the Covid pandemic. That closeness is audible in these songs, as the tendencies of the two artists blend together with a mutual appreciation that brings out the best in both artists.

In their barest essence, the songs feel formed around Johnston’s trademark rumination. Repetition is used as a meditative device with simple but catchy melodies. Diaz’s voice offers sweet harmonies while the pair creates a rich atmosphere that softens even the spikes of feedback that sometimes emerge. The record lives in a pastel haze that is as soft as it is inviting. And while both artists seem to have similar sensibilities on their own records, the combination of the two brings out intricacies that neither have achieved alone. Simple guitar arpeggios ring out through dense reverb, occasionally joined by fuzz bass, electronic beats, and distant distortion.

And into this thick soundscape, Johnston and Diaz offer what are essentially simple pop songs. They could have played the same songs on ukulele and made a fine enough twee pop record. But the juxtaposition of the spacious, impenetrable atmospheres and the intimate, nearly-whispered vocals makes for a listening experience that unfolds with each relisten. Tracks like “Miss America” and “NMP” are charming and inviting, while “Hounds of Heaven” and “Plague X” skew just a touch darker, without being offputting. The real turn though is the title track, which closes the record with twelve minutes of wordless drone. However, even that feels more like turning the album to catch the light differently than it does a total shift in sound. It actually seems to help emphasize the atmospheres of the songs before it.

Barring that last track though, which impatient listeners will likely skip, much of Orbweaver lives in that happy medium where fans of weird or extreme music are satisfied, but they’d be able to play it for their friends with less expansive palates without scaring them away. And even if the normies are scared off, it remains a breathtaking bit of music that will likely come to be seen as a jewel in both artists’ careers.

Orbweaver is out now through The Flenser.

Follow Midwife on Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp.
Follow Vyva Melinkolya on Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp.