“Forget Us,” the new single from alternative rockers Microcosms

Electrified guitar strings guide an unraveling melody at the start of “Forget Us,” the new single from alternative rockers Microcosms, but it isn’t until they run head-on into a wall of leering lyricism and a muscular percussive track that we start to hear the depth of their tonality. Their fiery riffing will serve as the centerpiece of this latest release from the Chicago-based band, and while the tempo of this song is as unpredictable as the crude but captivating vocal harmonies are, there’s scarcely a moment where “Forget Us” fails to keep us engaged in its melodic strain of sonic brutality. This is a huge step forward from the 2018 EP Fairytale, and in my opinion, the most attractive single that this group has shared to date.

BANDCAMP: https://microcosms.bandcamp.com/

Microcosms utilize every inch of space in this stereophonic mix to make us feel assaulted by their raucous riffing and contagiously catchy beats from every possible angle, and though it might be a bit intimidating to novice listeners, longtime fans of the band will likely recognize the magnified textures in the distorted melodies as legit treasure right off the bat. For being less than three minutes-long, “Forget Us” has a lot of substance that goes well beyond what I anticipated to find in a Microcosms single. Listeners who might have dismissed early efforts by this group would be wise to reexamine their opinions in this latest offering, which is far and away a superior listen to anything the band has released prior to now. “Forget Us” has compositional duality, and moreover, an evocative lyrical concept that makes it incredibly relevant in today’s divisive sociopolitical climate.

Punks and psychedelic rock buffs alike should give this single a spin to see what they think for themselves about Microcosms’ new look, but I for one am totally sold on the intriguing hybrid sound that they’re moving towards here. They’re using experimentalism that isn’t limited to the surrealism of contemporary indie rock as a weapon in this track, and adopting a progressive attitude that emphasizes the narrative in their lyrics as much as it does the mood of the music. It’s spellbinding to say the least, and hopefully only a sample of what’s to come from this talented group of musicians next.

Jamie Morse