antichamber
Alright, I know it’s been a minute—way too long, actually. Between drowning in schoolwork and being fully locked into basketball playoffs, I’ve barely had time to breathe, let alone write. But after March 8th, we’re back at it full-time, I promise. In the meantime, I had to carve out a moment to talk about Puma Blue’s surprise album antichamber because, man, it hit me at the right time.
Antichamber feels like an album made for late-night overthinking. It’s quiet, stripped-back, and deeply personal—basically a sonic journal where Puma Blue (aka Jacob Allen) processes loneliness in its rawest form. He describes it as capturing an ‘aching winter loneliness,’ which makes sense because the whole thing feels like looking out the window of a cold, empty apartment, watching city lights flicker while you stew in your own thoughts.
Apparently, this project started when Allen picked up a nylon-stringed acoustic guitar in his apartment and just started writing for himself. And you can tell—this isn’t some grand, polished statement album. It’s intimate, almost like you’re eavesdropping on someone’s most vulnerable moments. The production is sparse, mostly just acoustic guitar and softly layered vocals, which makes it feel like he’s whispering these songs directly to you.
At first, the album is heavy and haunting. Tracks like ‘debris’ and ‘whilst my heart breaks’ sit in this deep melancholic space, almost making you feel the weight of whatever Allen was going through. But as antichamber unfolds, a shift happens. It’s subtle, but there’s this slow emergence of light, like you’re climbing out of a fog. ‘In my wildest dreamland’ and ‘long term parking’ bring a hazy, almost lullaby-like warmth, as if Allen is making peace with his solitude rather than drowning in it.
Lyrically, this album doesn’t hold back. Allen’s words read like confessions scribbled into a notebook, full of longing and heartbreak. Lines like “You’re a distant star that I call recall. I will sit and wait, wait for you as my heart breaks” (from ‘whilst my heart breaks’) and “I wrote a letter full of mistakes just to say that I’d like to see you again” (from ‘gone is the grace’) capture that gut-wrenching feeling of missing someone you know you probably shouldn’t. The hushed vocals and the way he layers them make it all even more immersive, like you’re fully inside his head.
There’s also this recurring theme of space—both literal and emotional. The lyrics play with imagery of distance and emptiness, like in ‘tapestry’ where he sings, “I woke up this morning only to find no space in my heart.” It’s not just metaphorical, either; the album’s interludes and ambient sections create these pauses, almost like deep breaths, giving you a second to sit with the weight of it all before diving back in. ‘Decatur Bells,’ the closing track, ties it all together beautifully with soft birdsong, making it feel like the end of a long, introspective walk through the woods.
Ultimately, antichamber isn’t an album you just throw on in the background. It demands your attention, pulling you into its world of quiet loneliness and self-reflection. It’s the kind of record that sticks with you, especially if you’ve ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2 AM, lost in your own thoughts.
So yeah, I might be swamped right now, but antichamber was too good to not talk about. See you all full-time after March 8th—expect way more reviews coming your way.
PUMA BLUE - ANTICHAMBER
RATING - 9.2/10
FAVORITE TRACKS - All
GENRE - Alt/Indie