''Wasteisolation'' (stylized in all caps) is the debut

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by Canadian

noise pop Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative and indie rock that developed in the mid-1980s in the United Kingdom and United States. It is defined by its mixture of dissonant noise or feedback with the songcraft more often found in pop music. Shoegazi ...

duo Black Dresses, released on April 13, 2018.

Recording and release

The album was recorded between late 2017 and early 2018 and was created entirely through online collaboration with audio files being sent between band members Ada Rook and Devi McCallion via

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direct message In computing, a private message, personal message, or direct message (abbreviated as PM or DM) refers to a private communication sent or received by a user of a private communication channel on any given platform. Unlike public posts, PMs are only ...

s. The album was released on April 13, 2018. ''Dreams Come True 2019'', an EP of ''Wasteisolation'' remixes, was released for its one-year anniversary, and the duo's fourth studio album '' Peaceful as Hell'' was later released on its two-year anniversary.

Style and themes

Musically, the album has been described as

and

industrial pop Industrial music is a genre of music that draws on harsh, mechanical, transgressive or provocative sounds and themes. AllMusic defines industrial music as the "most abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music" that was "initiall ...

, and was inspired by

noise Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference arise ...

and

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...

of the

2010s File:2010s collage v21.png, From top left, clockwise: Anti-government protests called the Arab Spring arose in 2010–2011, and as a result, many governments were overthrown, including when Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was Death of Muammar Gadd ...

such as

Sleigh Bells Sleigh Bells may refer to: * Sleigh bells, a type of bell which produces a distinctive 'jingle' sound, especially in large numbers. * Sleigh Bells (band) Sleigh Bells is an American musical duo based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2008 and ...

and

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...

. The album explores themes such as child sexual abuse,

trauma Trauma most often refers to: *Major trauma, in physical medicine, severe physical injury caused by an external source *Psychological trauma, a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event *Traumatic inju ...

, isolation, existence, rage,

transmisogyny Transmisogyny, otherwise known as trans-misogyny and transphobic misogyny, is the intersection of transphobia and misogyny as experienced by trans women and transfeminine people. The term was coined by Julia Serano in her 2007 book ''Whipping ...

, and politicians' use of the term "

thoughts and prayers The phrase "thoughts and prayers" is often used by officials and celebrities in the United States as a condolence after a tragic event, such as a deadly natural disaster or mass shooting. The phrase has received criticism for its repeated usag ...

". The treatment of themes such as trauma on the album has been described as hopeful and cathartic, and McCallion said that they had aimed "for people to resonate with it if they’ve been in that dark place" when covering such themes.

Reception

Critical reception

James Rettig of ''

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'' felt that the album was catchy and danceable, and praised the

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

themes on the album concluding "That back-and-forth struggle should be familiar to anyone who identifies as queer: the pull between just wanting to exist and not wanting to die. That’s the experience that ''WASTEISOLATION'' captures best, in all its grotesque and beautiful glory." Sasha Geffen of ''

The Fader ''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes. It is o ...

'' described the album as "raw, abrasive, and deliriously catchy" and said that its songs "offer comfort and catharsis not because they promise that everything will get better but because they show you how to riot through hell." The album was featured in ''

Noisey ''Vice'' (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian-American magazine focused on lifestyle, arts, culture, and news/politics. Founded in 1994 in Montreal as an alternative punk magazine, the founders later launched the youth media company Vice Media, ...

'''s July "40 Essential Albums You Probably Missed So Far in 2018" list in which Colin Joyce praised the album's musical style and heavy lyrical themes, and felt that despite these heavy themes " cCallionand Rook find some hope embedded in the chaos. Even at their most frayed, they feel triumphant, somehow." ''Nylon'' included the album on their list of 11 Unapologetically Queer Albums You Might Have Missed This Summer and summarised the album saying "More punk than any album with guitars, Black Dresses uses glitchy soundscapes and guttural moaning to express the desperation of

trans women A trans woman or a transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity, may experience gender dysphoria, and may transition; this process commonly includes hormone replacement therapy and so ...

who just want to be left the fuck alone." ''The Fader'' described the song "Wiggle" as a standout track, listing it as one of their "20 songs you're sleeping on right now" list in April 2018.

Public response

The album was a viral success on the video-sharing website

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. The success of songs on the album led to invasion of privacy and extended harassment against McCallion by what the duo described as "entitled fans", eventually leading to the disbandment of the duo in 2020.

Accolades

Track listing

References

{{Reflist 2018 debut albums Transgender-related music Black Dresses albums