Single Review: Breathe

Multi-instrumentalist Ben Ruegg is back with his latest single as Channeled, which also now appears to have a new logo. I have always been impressed with this band, either live or in the studio, but here Ben is moving in a slightly different direction, and I am not sure if it has come off entirely as he would have liked. One of the delights of this band is the sheer intensity they bring to everything they do, but while Breathe still has the buzzsaw guitars one has come to expect, they are now focused in a more indie slant. The song itself is about religious messages being twisted, which has come through Ben’s journey he has been undertaking since his seizure last year, and we even get some words from a preacher.

But what is missing is the intensity, the drive and power which makes them such a driving force in the Auckland scene. Given that the city has been in lockdown since the middle of August, only slowly coming back to life now, I do wonder if that has had an impact on this recording, as it is lacking the vitality and passion I have come to expect. Of course, it is always possible the issue is with the listener (me), and that I am personally not ready for the direction in which Ben is now moving, but it feels to me as if the spark is missing from this recording and I will be intrigued to hear what comes next.