SINGLE REVIEW: Barking Poets - Losing Contact
Barking Poets take a bold turn with 'Losing Contact', shifting from their power-pop punk foundation into something far more expansive. The track opens with the bright, jangly energy of “Warning”-era Green Day—punchy, infectious, and instantly engaging. The rhythm is buoyant, locking into an addictive beat that carries just enough looseness to feel natural, while the vocals deliver a raw, off-kilter honesty that never overreaches. There’s a swagger to it, a classic alt-rock confidence that keeps the momentum steady in these early moments.
But 'Losing Contact' isn’t static. A subtle shift brings heavier tones into play, guitars thickening with a classic rock weight while splashy drums add drive and urgency. It’s a seamless evolution, one that doesn’t feel forced—it simply grows into itself, building toward the first major transition. The tempo drops into a bass-heavy lull, the energy plodding but deliberate, adding a moment of reflection before the song erupts back into movement with a sweeping solo.
This is where the progressive rock influence starts creeping in—the solo stretches out, dipping into stoner-rock textures, bending notes with a languid, heady drawl. Then, as if pulling the track into an entirely new space, the instrumentation softens, drifting into a psychedelic swirl. There’s a hazy, dream-like quality here, a floaty, almost Oasis-like atmosphere that contrasts beautifully with the track’s earlier punch.
Lyrically, 'Losing Contact' turns the familiar feeling of leaving friends behind into something far more cosmic—a fleeting sense of interstellar loneliness rather than just a personal reflection. It taps into themes of distance and disconnection, wrapping them in a sound that constantly shifts, mirroring the emotional weight at its core.
Before the listener can get too comfortable, another shift takes hold—noise-rock chaos teases at the edges, distortion flickering in and out like something barely restrained. And then, rather than crashing into a full-throttle climax, 'Losing Contact' fades out in sparse post-rock textures, dissolving slowly rather than cutting out abruptly. The ending feels considered, intentional, allowing the weight of everything that came before to settle in its own time.
What makes 'Losing Contact' so compelling is how it layers its influences rather than forcing them to collide. One moment, it’s a toe-tapper; the next, it’s deeper, darker, rumbling through your chest. Barking Poets craft something that moves fluidly through punk, classic rock, stoner drawls, psychedelic haze, noise disruptions, and post-rock minimalism—never chaotic, always deliberate. It’s dynamic, textured, and utterly absorbing, proving they’re more than just high-energy hooks and singalong choruses.
