A thunderhead charged with energy and power; a contradiction of serenity and fury, tranquility and violence. Floating, roiling, booming with percussive force.
With their mostly one-word song titles, their melodic dreaminess, their chunking distortion, and their feathery, poppy vocals, and their atmospheres of reverb, SOM take us on a tour of 90s Metal, Alternative, College, and Shoegaze - - visiting My Bloody Valentine, Hum, Swervedriver, Slowdive, Lush, Deftones, Quicksand, My Diligence, I Mother Earth, Explosions in the Sky, and others along the way.

SOM songs seek to transport you to a place; the focus is on the feeling of being there, whereas other types of songs focus on the vehicle and the journey to get there. All song types are valid, but SOM’s style works beautifully for them. This is an easy, absorbing, immersive album to play through. Some of the tracks kick off without the same spark as album opener, “Moment,” but in all cases, the reverb-drenched essences swirl mist-like around you, enveloping you within them.
There may be a bit of sameness from track to track to track, but overall, there are enough interesting ideas to hold you and make you want to remain engaged. Recommended. Standout tracks: “Moment.” “Animals,” “Center,” “Son of Winter.”