On We Were Just Here, Just Mustard emerge from the periphery of their genre with a record that is both expansive and intimately engaging. Unlike their previous albums, which often enveloped the listener in layers of distance and uncertainty, this release draws you directly into the visceral core of the band’s artistic expression, a space that feels tactile, restless, and electrifying. From its opening notes, it becomes evident that Just Mustard are fully embracing their roots in noise-rock while simultaneously tapping into the heartbeat of humanity that lies beneath.
Produced by the band themselves and mixed by David Wrench, known for his work with the likes of FKA Twigs and Frank Ocean, the album thrives on the interplay of tension and release. The album’s title track opens, immediately establishing a trance-like ambience: a low, insistent pulse drives the rhythm forward as Katie Ball’s haunting vocals declare, “I want to feel it all again,” complemented by guitars that twist and morph into jagged, fluid shapes, creating a perfect synthesis of their hallmark dissonance infused with a newfound warmth.
Tracks like “Pollyanna” and “Endless Deathless” further explore the shift towards a more urgent, corporeal sound. The latter, with its lyric “Nothing dies, it just changes,” pulsates like a heartbeat, underpinned by distorted bass lines and shimmery synth accents, effectively embodying the album’s delicate balance of introspection and driving force. Even in the darker tracks, for instance, “That I Might Not See,” the band maintain a sense of intimacy, with Ball’s ethereal voice weaving through industrial soundscapes like a fragile lifeline, offering a glimmer of hope within the chaos.
Meanwhile, “Somewhere” oscillates artfully between reassurance and tension, capturing the listener with the lyric, “I’ll find you somewhere,” providing a moment of solace amidst a storm of sound. Just Mustard seem to have mastered the art of emotional density; their music is intricate yet immediate, chaotic and yet so precise, a careful choreography that juxtaposes anxiety against release, shadow against light.
We Were Just Here is a record that rewards listeners with patience and attentive engagement, revealing new textures and intricacies with each listen. It’s an album that envelops you, offering a cathartic sense of connection that feels almost tangible. Just Mustard have transformed their presence into something deeply palpable, crafting a work where every pulse, distortion, and lyric feels essential.
