There’s that old saying about “saving the best for last”, and in terms of music releases, the year 2023 has done just that. The Singapore–based band Blush has established itself as the sound-hear-round-the-world with the release of its debut album “Supercrush”. The band announced their signing to No Sleep Records in June, along with their music video for their single “All I Wanna Do.” Their succeeding single “Crush” was released months later in September, and both tracks left listeners in a dream-like state of wanting more. Now, with the release of their debut album, Blush’s trajectory will no doubt end up being one of succeeding success and growth.
The band draws their musical influences from slowcore and 90s alternative rock. These, combined with soft, feminine vocals and nods to shoegaze, leave the band to create a sound that is as familiar and comforting to fans of No Sleep artists as it is new and captivating. The album opens with the first single “All I Wanna Do”, an upbeat yet mellow track that perfectly reflects the shift from Summer into Fall. Throughout the entire album, though especially within the tracks “Hide and Seek” and “February Again”, Blush showcases their ability to create a familiar slowcore sound with all of its recognizable aspects, the airiness of a grunge coming-of-age-soundtrack, and everything between. With such sound and talent, you wonder where this band has been hiding since their first singles were released in 2021.
From signing a record deal to opening for Turnover in Singapore, there is no doubt that Blush has left its mark in 2023. While this year creeps towards its end, the band has hit the ground running and we hope and pray that they don’t hit the breaks any time soon. “Supercrush” is a contender for album of the year and we should consider ourselves lucky that they have landed on our radar. We hope that, in due time, the band will find themselves across the pond and let us feel the hum for ourselves.