ARENTUMINE turns heartbreak into a genre-sprawling album, "Wasting Time"
From the first 30 seconds of Wasting Time, it’s clear ARENTUMINE, Portland’s own Justin Alvarez, has crafted something far more ambitious than a standard debut. Born from the emotional fallout of a breakup, this 12 song and 37 minute record is both catharsis and creation. Ultimately he’s made a scrapbook that captures frustration, longing, and flashes of hope with meticulous care.
Pulling from the shimmering electronic landscapes of Madeon, the grooves of Glass Animals, and the anthemic sprawl of Arcade Fire, he’s fused his influences into an identity that feels very much his own. It was entirely recorded in his bedroom, with some tracks reaching back more than five years into his creative history. That intimacy is baked into the music as there’s a sense of closeness and direct connection here, even in the album’s most euphoric moments.
The production is lush and immersive, a headphone-listener’s dream. Synths ripple and glow, guitars cut through in unexpected bursts, and the basslines pulse giving the album such depth! Alvarez’s vocals are undoubtedly crisp, confident, and sometimes altered with tasteful effects too. There’s a keen awareness of space in these tracks, a balance between energy and reflection that keeps the album moving effortlessly between its faster, adrenaline-laced peaks and slower valleys.
Vocal samples and experimental flourishes pop up like Easter eggs, rewarding repeated listens. It’s easy to imagine him hunched over his setup, tweaking every delay tail and reverb wash until the atmosphere matched the exact emotion he wanted to capture.
For an album rooted in heartbreak, Wasting Time avoids wallowing. Instead, it transforms pain into something beautiful and energizing. Even the moments tinged with melancholy carry a sense of forward motion, as if each beat and chord progression is another step toward self-discovery. For us, “Crumble” seemed to really emphasize those feelings, but it’s that screeching guitar that instantly got us over it.
This is a debut that not only introduces ARENTUMINE’s voice, but makes it impossible to ignore. It’s the kind of project that demands to be relistened to, not because you missed something, but because it’s simply that enjoyable. For an artist working out of a bedroom studio, Wasting Time sounds like it belongs on the biggest stage possible.
We’re so ready for more, but in the interim, we urge everyone out there to give this record a spin and of course to follow along for more! You can do so by clicking those links below. Enjoy!
Listen to “Wasting Time”
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