Wisp - If Not Winter (2025)
If Not Winter is Wisp’s ambitious debut, a conceptual journey framed as a medieval fantasy quest, blending grand shoegaze textures with acoustic intimacy. Highlights like “Sword” and “Breathe Onto Me” deliver electrifying, grunge‑tinged climaxes, while ambient interludes such as “Latvia” and the eponymous closing track offer delicate emotional respite. Wisp's whisper-soft, ASMR-inflected vocals drift through layers of distortion and hard-rock crescendos, crafting moments of dreamy beauty. Yet, critics observe that beneath the lush surface, the songwriting and vocals sometimes lack emotional weight or originality. While If Not Winter offers gorgeous atmospheres and imaginative world-building, it doesn’t drastically reinvent the genre—more a refined iteration of existing influences than a full reinvention.
Genre: Dream Pop
Country: US
Final Verdict: 64% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 230th / 517
Highlight: Guide light
Made me think of:
Slowdive
Cocteau Twins
Nothing
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