Glitter Etiquette blossoms from New York City's thriving underground with their new single, "Cows." In an era where indie music can disappear in polished production values and be learned by rote songwriting, this is a surreal slow burn that touches on fate, willful ignorance, and a silent dread of inevitability. On "Cows," Glitter Etiquette does not bid for attention but a gauntlet hurled in the face of the attention span. Citing the swirling shoegaze textures of My Bloody Valentine, the post-punk grace of The Smiths, and the hazy melancholy of The Smashing Pumpkins among their influences, the band assembles a track that could serve as the soundtrack for wandering through a fog of existential dread. And there's something almost eerie about it, something cinematic and more modern.
"Cows" drag you into a trance-hypnotic state from the first few seconds. Waves of guitar shimmer with delay-drenched paranoia, and the var-off and purposeful vocals sing songs of emotional removal and odd intimacy. The result is a song that never requires attention but instead welcomes you to tumble into it and get lost. The absolute brilliance of "Cows" is that it manages to be restrained. Rather than pushing for a climax or piling on production tricks, Glitter Etiquette lets the track simmer, and tension never dissipates. That artistic choice is in keeping with the impossibility of fleeing one's fate, the discomfort of knowing what awaits, and the attractive lure of looking the other way. These are murmured into the ether, with a half-life long.
It's a strong, forceful opening statement from a band not interested in pandering to whatever trends happen. Instead, Glitter Etiquette is staking out someplace that seems timeless and slightly queasy-making. "Cows" will carve its way into the minds of anyone who seeks something more profound, darker, and more thought-provoking in their music. Glitter Etiquette has a clear idea of who they are and where they're going, and they're not afraid to take the scenic or occasionally surreal route to reach that destination. If "Cows" shows things to come, the New York indie scene will become much more interesting.
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