Holy Motors – Heaven’s Night

The last time I reviewed an Estonian record—Pia Fraus’ wonderful 2008 release, After Summer—I pledged to investigate the Estonian music scene, reasoning, “If I'm able to unearth an artist with even half the talent of Pia Fraus, it will have been well worth the effort.” Well, did I put in the work? No, I didn’t; I chose procrastination.

Fortunately, with two well-received records under their belt, Tallinn’s Holy Motors didn’t really need to be discovered. Heaven’s Night is their third full-length, and while they’re generally considered a dream pop band, their sound skews towards the Mazzy Star end of the spectrum, rather than its fuzzier shoegaze-adjacent pole.

There’s also a languid, frazzled tinge of Americana at play here, which occasionally breaks into a barroom swagger best evidenced on “Howlin’.” It feels like a cliche to talk of David Lynch soundtracks, but Holy Motors did take their name from a surrealist 2012 French film, so they do invite the comparison somewhat. And, truly, it really fits their sprawling sound.

Not everything works—in particular, “Under My Tongue” feels a little disjointed—and Heaven’s Night would certainly benefit from a little more variety, but when Holy Motors find their groove on highlights like “Hellishly Hot” and “God Is A Feeling,” their charm is undeniable.

Heaven’s Night is out now via Wharf Cat Records.