Seims are an Australian band playing the music of composer and multi instrumentalist Simeon Bartholomew. Although the band don’t stray too far from the math rock genre, V sees them continuing their willingness to experiment and broaden their soundscape, and that makes this album a very interesting listen. Much of their music is visceral, felt physically rather than intellectually, but that doesn’t mean there is no subtlety; quite the opposite in fact. It just means you have to listen several times to begin to appreciate some of the finer detail.
Double Standards is a preamble, and begins with echoey guitar and viola, and then flailing drums, increasing in intensity, finally giving way to Chaos Within A Construct. It is an intense instrumental, guitars, bass and drums racing through a series of power chords, underpinned with strings for gravitas. Despite its thrashing, there is melody, and an ethereal beauty somehow.
Forever The Optimist follows without pause, and shimmers its way into your head, the melody carried by piano whilst the post rock guitar riffing and textural strumming takes centre stage with a refrain which will get your toes tapping in appreciation. It’s all about rhythm and texture, as a trumpet joins the fray, and is a delightful sidestep. Flowing Upstream returns to the more traditional Seims post rock sound, the strings of Nataliya Lukich, Monique Turner and Peter Hollo providing a wonderfully expressive opening couple of minutes before a pause, then monstrous stalking bass notes shake the foundations and things get dangerous again. It’s a fabulous piece which pretty much sums up much of what this band are about.
Some darkwave synth sounds busily buzzing away introduce Preoccupations, another great track which is a bit of a departure from their typical sound, but a very welcome one. There is an intensity and insistence bubbling away just under the surface throughout this piece, and guitars making all sorts of raucous noises punctuating the synth dominance. All the while, Chris Allison is attacking his drum kit with a passion. It’s rather magnificent. In contrast, Abandonment Is Expected begins with delicate guitar picking from Bartholomew, and moody cello accompaniment, before the piece goes wide screen, finally closing over some dialogue between (I’m assuming) Bartholomew and his young child. It introduces a personal element not always obvious in the Seims universe, and is rather touching. We immediately segue into My Memories Retain Nothing, a sprightly guitar motif and vocals! Seims aren’t particularly known for songs with vocals, and those on this song are not run-of-the-mill by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a fascinating piece, both melodic and abstract, with some super strings and wind interjections. It leads us along unexpected paths until we meet End’s Tether. It burns slowly until finally igniting into more familiar ensemble wall of sound bombast. It sounds like a suitable ending for V, but of course there’s a postscript. A Moment Never Returned is a beautifully realised piano composition with some fabulous tuba adding an indefinable… something!
With some bands, it might be possible to randomly pick a track and get the general feel for what that band is all about. With Seims in general, and V in particular, I’m not sure that really works. There is more here than might meet the eye. Whilst some tracks immediately ‘click’, others take longer to fully appreciate, but it’s definitely worth the effort. Recommended.
TRACK LISTING
01. Double Standards (1:42)
02. Chaos Within A Construct (4:22)
03. Forever The Optimist (5:58)
04. Flowing Upstream (4:31)
05. Preoccupations (6:00)
06. Abandonment Is Expected (3:57)
07. My Memories Retain Nothing (4:20)
08. End’s Tether (5:04)
09. A Moment Never Returned (2:43)
Total Time – 38:37
MUSICIANS
Simeon Bartholomew – Guitar, Bass, Bass VI, Piano, Synth, Vocals
Chris Allison – Drums
Sam Sheumack – Slide Guitar (5 & 6)
Mark Owen – Guitar Solo (8)
Nataliya Lukich – Violins
Monique Turner – Violas
Peter Hollo – Cellos
Tom Botting – Double Bass
Paul Murchison – Trumpets, Flugelhorns
Luke Bartley – Tuba, Sousaphone
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: Australia
Date of Release: 14th November 2025
LINKS
Seims – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
