KALLAI DELIVER A POWERFUL AND HAUNTING DEBUT WITH WE ARE FOREVER ON LITTLE CLOUD RECORDS

We Are Forever, the debut album from Portland four-piece Kallai (pronounced call-eye), has officially arrived via Little Cloud Records, and it more than lives up to the anticipation. The band, known for blending towering shoegaze textures with dream pop intimacy and post punk grit, delivers eight tracks that weigh the turbulence of modern life against the beauty found in connection, resilience, and self-awareness.

Written during two months of political unrest and personal upheaval, We Are Forever was born from an instinctive search for hope in a collapsing world. Recorded between Revolver Studios with Collin Hegna (The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale) and the band’s own Synthetikit Studio, the album captures both the emotional depth and sonic ambition that define Kallai’s sound. Expansive guitars, ethereal harmonies, and subtle electronic layers intertwine to create a landscape that feels both vast and intimate.

From the very first notes, We Are Forever feels cinematic and deeply human. The band sets the tone with intention, crafting songs that breathe and evolve rather than rush to a conclusion. The production gives every instrument room to move, every lyric space to resonate. It is an album about endurance, defiance, and the need to hold on to beauty when the world around you begins to fracture.

“I wrote this record in the wake of last year’s elections as I grappled with what it means to be a mixed race queer woman in a time where political movements in power want to erase people like me and destroy our history,” says vocalist and guitarist Cate Hukle. “We Are Forever is about saying we have always been here, we will always be here, and no amount of abuse or propaganda will change that for long.”

What follows is a journey through sound and emotion — a collection of songs that explore pain, joy, and transformation. The album opens with the haunting “The Hymn/The Beautiful Ones,” setting the stage for everything that comes after. Let’s dig in:

“The Hymn/The Beautiful Ones” opens We Are Forever with a cinematic sense of distance. A haunting female voice echoes through the intro as delicate guitar notes and sparse drums drift beneath, setting a dreamlike mood that feels both fragile and immense. Around the ninety-second mark, the track bursts into motion: guitars crash, percussion locks in, and the song begins to pulse with real emotional gravity. Cate Hukle’s vocals are mesmerizing, airy yet commanding, like the shoegaze cousin of the band Ladytron. It’s the kind of performance that lingers…equal parts melancholy and fire.

The production feels wide open, with every instrument serving the song instead of fighting for space. There’s texture, restraint, and a slow-burning intensity that makes you want to dive straight into the rest of the record. Hukle and David Gross deliver some exceptional guitar work here too, weaving lines that shimmer one moment and thunder the next. They’re not just playing riffs—they’re painting a mood.

“The Hymn/The Beautiful Ones” doesn’t just start the album; it defines it. If this is the opening statement, We Are Forever is about to be one hell of a journey. Bring it on.

“Amor Occidit Omnia,” Latin for “Love Kills All,” sets a dark and beautiful tone for the second track on We Are Forever. From the very beginning, the song feels like a statement, full of tension, power, and emotion.

Drummer Daniel Henderson takes charge here. His heavy, deliberate hits lock perfectly with the band’s swirling guitars and deep basslines. He does not just keep time; he sets the heartbeat of the track. The guitars build layers of atmosphere while the bass keeps everything grounded, creating a sound that is rich, cinematic, and alive.

There is something magnetic about this song, as if it were made for a movie where love and chaos collide. It is one of those tracks that stays with you long after it ends. Fans of Slowdive and She Wants Revenge will find plenty to love here. “Amor Occidit Omnia” shows just how effortlessly We Are Forever blends beauty, rhythm, and emotion into something timeless.

“Protector” lands as the third track on We Are Forever and wastes no time making its mark. Cate Hukle and David Gross’s guitars take the lead here, intertwining with precision and emotion, almost conversing with each other as much as Hukle’s vocals do.

The track builds steadily before erupting around the one-minute mark into a wall of sound that’s both fierce and beautifully controlled. Drums crash, guitars ignite, and the whole band seems to move as one living, breathing force.

Hukle’s voice cuts through the storm with power and vulnerability, while the instruments echo her emotion like they’re speaking the same language. “Protector” is a perfect example of We Are Forever’s strength—melodic, intense, and completely alive.

“Another World” stands as one of the most stunning and immersive tracks on We Are Forever. The guitars are gentle and deliberate, each note landing with purpose and emotion. Brian Wilcher’s bass does not try to dominate. It sits perfectly in the mix, steady and grounding, adding warmth and texture without ever overstating itself.

At nearly six minutes, the song takes its time to unfold, and that patience pays off. The verses stretch out gracefully, allowing space for reflection and atmosphere. There is a sense of movement here, like drifting through memories, unsure of where they will take you but trusting the music to guide the way.

“Another World” is not just a song. It is an experience. It pulls you in slowly, layer by layer, until you realize you have been transported somewhere entirely different. By the time it fades, you are left changed, calmer, clearer, and grateful for the trip you did not know you needed.

“Always/Never” arrives as the fifth track on the LP and finds the band leaning into a more traditional song structure, but doing it with confidence and style. The verses glide along smoothly, setting up a payoff that comes crashing in with a chorus that absolutely soars.

There is something undeniably magnetic about this one. The melody carries shades of the Cranberries, but with a darker, more shoegaze-tinged edge — as if the sweetness has been replaced with a touch of grit. Cate Hukle’s vocals shimmer above the mix, equal parts tender and commanding, while the guitars swirl around her in a haze of sound that feels both familiar and refreshing.

“Always/Never” is the kind of track that feels built for discovery. It is instantly catchy yet layered enough to reward repeat listens, and it would not be surprising to hear it soundtracking the emotional peak of a film or the closing moments of a television series. It is polished, heartfelt, and quietly unforgettable.

“The Wave” rolls in as track six and opens with a simple pairing of guitar and drums — calm, steady, and almost deceptive. Within moments, though, the song erupts, pulling every instrument into a thunderous rush of sound. It’s lush and distant, yet strangely intimate, like standing in the middle of a storm you don’t want to escape.

Cate Hukle’s vocals cut through the haze with clarity and warmth, soaring above the mix without overpowering it. Every element here feels dialed in — the guitars shimmer and crash, the drums drive with precision, and the bass hums beneath it all, tying everything together. There is an unmistakable emotion woven through the song, carried by those sharp, emo-infused guitar riffs that give it both bite and beauty.

“The Wave” captures the essence of what We Are Forever does best — balancing power and vulnerability with ease. For a deeper look into this standout track, check out Skylar Stock’s full review of “The Wave” by clicking HERE.

“Falling” is the band’s most-streamed song on Spotify, and it is easy to understand why. It rips. The guitars shimmer and swell with a sound that falls somewhere between Maritime and Holy Fawn, a mix that hits the perfect balance between nostalgia and atmosphere. It feels big but deeply personal at the same time.

This track shifts the tone of the album, with guitarist David Gross stepping forward on lead vocals. His voice adds a new texture to the record, a grounded contrast to Cate Hukle’s smooth and ethereal tone. Cate’s harmonies flow through the chorus like light through fog, creating a dreamy and weightless layer that softens the edges of Gross’s delivery. Together, they strike a perfect balance, his emotion meeting her melody in just the right way.

The repeated line, “I’m falling in love with you,” grows more powerful each time it returns. It is tender, bittersweet, and hits straight to the heart when paired with the song’s soaring guitars and steady rhythm. There is something raw and human about it, both vulnerable and hopeful all at once.

“Falling” is a song meant to be played again and again. It captures that feeling of being lost in emotion and finding beauty in it. By the time it ends, you will be right there with them.

“As Night Falls” closes out We Are Forever in stunning fashion. It feels like both a reflection and a farewell, a graceful summary of everything the album has built toward. The song ties together the emotional weight and textures of the previous tracks, creating something that feels familiar yet undeniably final.

Cate Hukle’s vocals return for one last time, calm but powerful, carrying a sense of acceptance and closure. The band surrounds her with a sound that is both delicate and full, every instrument contributing to a warm and steady atmosphere. The guitars shimmer, the bass hums softly beneath, and the drums move with quiet precision, holding everything together without demanding attention.

There is a dreamlike calm to “As Night Falls,” a feeling of peace that settles in as the song begins to fade. It is the kind of closer that does not simply end an album but completes it, leaving the listener in that rare moment between sound and silence where everything feels whole.

We Are Forever is the kind of record that reminds you why albums still matter. It is not just a collection of songs but a complete journey that feels emotional, deliberate, and deeply human. From the haunting opening of “The Hymn/The Beautiful Ones” to the quiet, peaceful fade of “As Night Falls,” the band takes the listener through a wide range of feelings and sounds. Every track has a purpose, and each one unfolds with care, revealing new layers the more you listen.

Cate Hukle’s voice anchors the record, steady and full of emotion. Around her, David Gross, Daniel Henderson, and Brian Wilcher create a world that moves from thunder to calm without ever losing focus. Together, they build something that feels timeless, drawing from elements of shoegaze and dream pop but making it entirely their own.

We Are Forever captures that fragile space between beauty and sadness, noise and quiet, love and loss. It is a record about connection and reflection, about how sound can express what words alone cannot. When the final notes fade, you are left with more than music. You are left with a feeling that stays long after the silence sets in.