Grief is like an apocalypse. The world collapses, but only yours. People around you go shopping, laugh at something on their phones, talk about the weather. And you stand in the middle of a scorched wasteland, surrounded by thick black smoke, listening to your thoughts plunge into the abyss. No one rushes to pull you out. Perhaps no one even notices you’re there. This is roughly the state in which the EP You, Me, and The Void by Scottish Islands is born. Three friends from post-industrial England somehow manage to infuse both hope and despair into it. Across five tracks, you’ll hear the soft rustle of indie, the rumble of rock, the atmospheric echo of ambient, and unexpected bursts of doom metal.

photo by Becky Porter

Jonathan Aymes, Joshua Mudie, and William Bull grew up in a town where factory chimneys shape the skyline, and the night smells of wet asphalt. Maybe that’s why their music carries so much industrial resonance, foggy melodies, and sounds reminiscent of a distant train rumbling off to nowhere. Their new EP is a journey into places you hesitate to look.

You, Me, and The Void creates the effect of molten wax, dripping off the surface of your reality and flooding familiar thoughts. At times, you hear shimmering ghosts; at others, distant rolls of thunder. And sometimes, there’s only the vast emptiness, where your own voice echoes through space. All of this is wrapped in the concept of a personal catastrophe—one that those around you rarely grasp in full. Their world is fine. They sip their morning coffee and think about the evening’s movie plans, while you’re still wandering through the scorched land within.

Each of the five tracks is another descent into your personal truth. Emotions crackle, surge, and spill over in acid waves. One track crumbles into a hollow bleakness with whispers of wind and ghostly vocals, while another suddenly strikes with a heavy riff, dragging you back to harsh reality. In the end, you’re faced with a trial—one that forces you to confront your own demons and, perhaps, set them free. Spiritually or literally—that’s up to you.

‘Living Creatures’

It all begins in the fog. Thick, dense, cold. In Living Creatures, the sound hovers like morning mist over water. The vocals drift from afar, the guitars shimmer, carefully shaping the space, while the drums pulse like distant heartbeats. But by the middle of the track, everything shifts. Alternative rock crashes in with heavy guitars and sharp hits, and then… it’s as if someone suddenly flips on the light in a dark room. This kind of transition is one of Scottish Islands’ signature moves.

‘Atlas’

If you expect another slow immersion after the first track, Atlas knocks you off your feet immediately. A blast of guitars, a pounding rhythm. William Bull’s vocals teeter on the edge, balancing between ethereal lightness and an inevitable breakdown. He’s always on the verge of collapse but never quite falls, stretching the tension across the entire track. Here, Scottish Islands showcase their mastery of contrast—their music is both weightless and crushing, bright yet brooding.

‘Threadbare’

This track pulls you in deeper. A groovy riff, a mystical atmosphere, a driving rhythm—everything pulses, drawing you into its gravity. This isn’t just rock; it feels ancient, almost ritualistic, like the sound of the earth itself rising to the surface. William Bull sounds particularly predatory here, yet still enigmatic, letting each line dissolve into the air.

‘Timothy’

The mood shifts. Scottish Islands take a step back, easing the intensity and creating an almost meditative atmosphere. Soft ambient textures, muted guitars, fluid drumming—this track feels like an invitation to another dimension, where time moves slower. It’s the kind of song you listen to while staring out at the city at night, thinking about nothing, just feeling the rhythm of life.

‘For You, At The End Of All Things’

A nearly eight-minute finale—both a conclusion and perhaps a farewell ritual. It begins in quiet space. The keys drift slowly, the vocals become a shadowy echo dissolving into infinity. Then, overdriven guitars and thunderous drums take over, engulfing everything. This track is a black hole, swallowing every emotion and leaving behind an emptiness filled only with echoes.

Immersing yourself in this EP, you enter a space where your personal apocalypses turn into a gripping, psychedelic ride. There’s no telling where it will lead, but curiosity and openness to new experiences become your trusted companions. After all, each of us carries entire universes within—filled with earthquakes and open craters—and sometimes, it’s worth allowing yourself to navigate that mental journey without rushing.

That’s what You, Me, and The Void is—a reminder that even in solitude, when facing overwhelming emotions, there’s a hidden strength to be found. Are you ready to step into that crater and perhaps emerge renewed? The choice is yours. But if you’re looking for a reason to embark on a surreal journey and melt away old fears, Scottish Islands offers a tempting invitation.

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