Miserable’s ‘Halloween Dream’ EP Review

“Ethereal” doesn’t even begin to cover the very bases of Miserable‘s debut EP, Halloween Dream. Sitting at just under 15 minutes, the EP is both haunting and surreal, a dance between light and shadow in both sound and intent. Kristina Esfandari, the former vocalist of Bay Area Whirr, shows her captivating strength as a solo artist.
The title track, “Halloween Dreams,” is both the longest track on the EP and the strongest. It tells the story of how sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t always yield the results you want, need or expect. And boy, is the track an unworldly and introspective one. It opens up flooded with distortion before giving way to Esfandari’s vapory voice. The way she harmonizes with herself is unbelievable and will send chills down your spine. The final minute of the song comes after a brief delay and repeats the same rhythm over and over with her voice seeming to cry out in defeat as it slowly fades out.Equally stirring is the track “Orchid.” Ambient and doused in reverb, the short track is definitely one to pay attention to. Like the rest of the EP it’s startling in how quickly the track grabs you with its eerie simplicity before diving straight into sonorous growls and a tight display of complete vocal control.
The album is reminiscent of 90’s Sonic Youth or Deafhaven–powerful, surreal and gripping. The only downside? It’s one of those EPs that definitely needs to be listened to through really nice speakers or headphones–your computer speakers just won’t cut it. Break out those bad boys and give this Miserable’s strong debut a listen. You’ll feel lost in the depths of October in no time.

Verdict: 8.5/10