The Shrubs Let Us In Through a Dreamy Analog Fog

I keep picturing The Shrubs and their latest release Let Us In as a strange little theatre piece. A place with old reel-to-reel machines running in the background. At first listen, I closed my eyes and pictured Miguel and Sophie feeding the song through tape, pulling out the grain and the wobble.

The whole thing grabbed me straight away, because Let Us In comes straight out of what’s happening around them: the way cities like Houston look at people on the edge, then shove them into different kinds of labels, boxes, patrol routes, and public shame. That’s the core of this song. The Shrubs took this heavy subject and dressed it in colour, attitude, and that dreamy analog fog that I love.

The Shrubs at work

The duo, now formed by Miguel and Sophie, have been recording in some form since 2013 and have been with Blossom Records since 2019. Their path already has history in it, but Let Us In feels hungry, immediate, and so alive. Work on the single started around spring 2025, then unfolded gradually through their unusual process. They built the track on 40- to 50-year-old reel-to-reel machines and cassette tapes, then brought it into the digital world.

That method matters here. The more I listen, the more I hear the tape wear. The dust in the walls comes out with this band, using analog as part of the writing itself, not decoration. The result has that sound they describe so well, like something familiar, even if you can’t name it.

Let Us In and the habit of judging

Lyrically, Miguel points a finger at the speed with which people judge, diagnose, and reduce others, especially those dealing with trauma, instability, or life on the street. That message behind the craftsmanship comes through clearly and makes sense, because the music never lectures. From what Miguel told me, this track didn’t come easy. A lot of trial and error, a lot of time spent chasing a sound they had in their heads, doing everything themselves.

Let Us In is out now on all platforms, and it found its place in my heart for good reason. The Shrubs found an interesting angle here: indie psych rock with old machines, lush assembly, and a conscience still awake.

There’s a lot behind Let Us In. Time in the studio, trial and error, a sound chased until it felt right, all built in-house by Miguel and Sophie. You hear it in the unique texture, in the small imperfections, in the way the track holds together. That balance between idea and execution got me here, and I’m glad I went through it.

Start with Let Us In and see how it feels. Then step into their little place and find out more about The Shrubs. I’ll be keeping track.

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