Oakwood (album release), Dead Butterflies, nervous, always never stays [outside]

Oakwood works in a strain of post-punk edge that keeps everything slightly off-balance yet controlled, never fully contained. Formed in 2013, the trio arrives at their first full-length record Blurred Away, built on low-lit distortion, interlocking guitar lines, and steady, unhurried drums that keep each track tightly wound. The album’s early cuts (“Footnote, “Fields Behind the House,” “A Tangled Mess”) shift between muted restraint and jagged turns while holding a consistent guitar-driven shape throughout. Also on the album release lineup are Dead Butterflies, Nervous, and Alwaysneverstays, each pulling the night from hazy indie drift into wiry post-punk urgency and slow, atmospheric stretches. – Miranda Garza