A death metal band from Uppsala, Sweden is generally not much to raise eyebrows about, even a duo like Floating (both former members of Morbid Illusions). Yet actually spending some time with this band's music will definitely raise those hairy appendages, as the band play a form of death metal heavily infused with post-punk! It's still certainly death metal without a doubt, even before the choking growls start to appear on first track I Reached the Mew - yet the track opens with clearly post-punk bass runs, even if the drums and guitars soon overtake it. And it's this imperfect combination of genres that makes Floating a fascinating project because despite this being the second album from the band the compelling promise is mostly there if still not quite gelled to the point where it's as good as it could or should be.

Generally, songs gallop along like Swedish death at its finest if a little brittler and more atmospheric, the bass giving proceedings a Cure-esque vibe at points. It's easier to recommend this to death metal fans rather than post-punk fans for sure, the rumblings of Grave Dog leaning more towards the cavernous or even avant-garde death metal realm initially with a touch of gothic rock emerging towards the end, switching abruptly by its conclusion. Cough Choir introduces some synths and something more of a Voivod-esque gallop to proceedings, like a more angular and violent The Lion's Daughter, and it contrasts nicely with the following Exit Bag Song, a little more jangly. The longest piece present is Hesitating Lights/Harmless Fires at over six minutes and it takes more of an atmospheric approach that leaves the death metal behind initially for a long, proggy buildup before exploding into a more avant-style with frantic, squealing riffs and clattering drums, ending in a return to prog groove.

It sounds messy but is well coordinated and constructed, not feeling haphazard at all. Elsewhere the softer moments in the likes of Still Dark Enough and The Wrong Body contrast well with harsher moments, driven mainly by the vocals. It can feel as though these harsh vocals are the one thing keeping the band in the underground, particularly on less metal moments than the closing The Waking which has enough of a riff-focused approach to keep it feeling death metal. Perhaps future albums will see the band leaving their roots behind entirely? Yet for the moment this is intriguing, well-played stuff that does its job impressively enough and Floating are more than recommended for fans of the oddball and those who do their own thing.