Deeper – “Esoteric”

By: Jesse Benitez

Being stuck inside during this quarantine has got some of my buried teen angst resurfacing, but this time, in a much more contained form. “Esoteric,” the first track off Deeper’s latest release, Auto-Pain (2020), brings back some of that sad-punk nostalgia I’ve been missing for a long time. The riot-y vocals and head-banging chorus brings me back to the days where I was more carefree; where not much mattered at the time, and where consequences were dealt with after all the fun. This song also brings back memories of the intimate community of indie musicians in my hometown, and how much I miss going to live shows in the city. “Esoteric” is rigid yet contemplative, and that fusion of simplicity and complexity is what makes it numbingly honest. I don’t know what genre closely represents Deeper, whether it be indie rock, post-punk, or something in between. All I can say is that their lo-fi, bedroom record sound has a spirit that really takes me back in a lowkey, introspective way.