Description
Rotterdam-based Tramhaus were hailed as "THE Dutch post-punk sensation" after the release of their debut album "The First Exit" (2024) and numerous shows across Europe (and far beyond!). Their new album, "Blister," will be released in October 2026 on Siluh Records.
Since their formation in 2020, the band has navigated between driving post-hardcore and indie rock/shoegaze influences, garnished with a touch of calculated dissonance. Beyond their musical influences, Tramhaus explicitly position themselves as part of an organically grown international scene, a network of independent agencies, labels, and promoters that propelled them to the forefront of the scene and a must-see act within a year or two of their debut album's release.
Powerful, loud, and self-assured, "Blister" gains in depth with repeated listens. The album captivates with a new elegance, a palpable sense of space, and tremendous impact. This stems in part from a more mature, detailed production that also captures the many nuances. The dizzying nature of the almost two years of continuous touring is reflected in the title of the impatient opening track, "Plovdiv" (a place where they actually played): A glam-tinged, stomping rhythm and a bouncy bass line propel a series of menacing guitar riffs – elements that all reflect the sound with which Tramhaus have recently been tearing up concert stages. Other tracks like "Rat Race" and "I Was Never Alone" sound quite similar. The album's slower tracks occasionally reveal a "rockist" grandeur that they had previously only hinted at: perhaps in the style of the Pixies or late Nirvana (believe it or not!) – or, elsewhere, as a soft whisper reminiscent of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. "Overachiever, Big Believer" and "Sly (Like Ever)" are characterized by a biting, growling atmosphere and patiently crafted melodic lines – qualities that would undoubtedly have fit perfectly into the musical landscape of 1991. Elsewhere, "Solace" captivates with its open chord attack and a laid-back attitude that could have come straight from a Saints or Bad Seeds track. The best is saved for last: in "Swarm," after a monolithic bass rumble reminiscent of early Pere Ubu, a magnificent, Sabbath-esque riff crashes down upon the listener.
