After a string of soul-baring singles, London-based duo Arliston share the full, hauntingly beautiful debut album Disappointment Machine. Echoing The National and Bon Iver, vocalist/instrumentalist Jack Ratcliffe and instrumentalist/producer George Hasbury offer an album that packs depth both musically and emotionally.
Self-described as “sad song specialists,” Arliston has crafted a sonic world that thrives in its own melancholic beauty. Ratcliffe’s brooding baritone—reminiscent of The National’s Matt Berninger—winds its way through sparse, evocative instrumentation, while Hasbury’s intricate production adds layers of ambient textures and ghostly synths. The result is an album that sits comfortably alongside the emotive landscapes of Bon Iver and the raw storytelling of Damien Rice, enveloping listeners in its somber yet cathartic embrace.
Disappointment Machine is an album of quiet power, carefully constructed to highlight the emotional weight of each lyric and note. From the delicate piano strains of ‘Nests’ to the sweeping, almost cinematic swells of ‘The Older I Get’, Arliston displays a masterful understanding of space and restraint. The title track, Disappointment Machine, encapsulates the album’s themes perfectly—a slow-burning piece that captures the bittersweet nature of hindsight and the passage of time.
The influence of Bon Iver is particularly evident in the duo’s use of haunting harmonies and experimental production, with tracks like ‘Any Raft Will Do’ incorporating subtle electronic flourishes and warped vocal layering. Yet, rather than merely emulating these influences, Arliston carves out a space of their own, blending vulnerability with a quiet resilience that gives the album its emotional depth.
The album’s focus track, ‘Scratches’, is a painfully intimate exploration of conflict and hope. Led by a fragile piano melody, the song unravels the story of a married couple following an argument. The imagery is haunting—one partner sits absentmindedly scratching a table with a knife, waiting for the other to return, watching for the garden light to flicker on. It’s a moment steeped in anticipation and quiet desperation, capturing the universal pain of waiting for someone who may never come back.
“This is one of the oldest songs on the album and the only one written outside of that two-week window in November 2023,” the band shares. “It’s a simple narrative about a couple post-argument—one waiting, believing they’ll come back. But they never do.”
With Disappointment Machine, Arliston has delivered a debut that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Fans of The National will appreciate the poetic introspection and baritone-heavy vocal delivery, while those drawn to Bon Iver’s sonic experimentation will find plenty to admire in the album’s subtle, atmospheric production.
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