Albums of the Year 2024 - Number 64

Whitelands, a Black British shoegaze band, has released their debut album Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day. The London-based four-piece is part of the new generation of Black British guitar music, standing alongside Big Joanie and Bob Vylan. The band members - Etienne, Jagun, Vanessa, and Michael - approach the resurgent shoegaze genre from a unique angle due to their diverse musical backgrounds.

Their lineup is fully PoC, challenging the traditional perception of the predominantly white genre. Vanessa remarks, "There’s an underlying narrative that it’s OK for white men to be romantic, sensitive, emotional and make dreamy music and, by contrast, young Black men should be making angry music. We’ve all grown up with these stereotypes and therefore I think people are mystified when they see Whitelands."

Etienne shares, "I consume a lot of media. Videogames, music, news, paintings, manga, animations and film are my go-to, especially anime. There is this drive to want to understand and feel the whole weight of an expression. So, the songs are based on other songs, pictures, aesthetics, ‘vibes’, an emotion someone else felt. Fundamentally, you are what you eat."

The album's lyrics are striking, addressing topics such as unbalanced relationships, vulnerability, depression, ADHD diagnosis, and the challenges of navigating love post-diagnosis. The album also features two poetically political songs - ‘Setting Sun’ and ‘Now Here’s The Weather’ - exploring themes of imperialism, racism, and performative ignorance.

Vanessa reflects, "We’ve experienced tokenism, micro-behaviors, envy, and resentment. So we feel we have to continually prove ourselves. We know we’re making a positive impact, but I want Whitelands to really break some barriers."