Kouskous Heaven should get an award for having one of the best band names around. The New Jersey group formed in 2024 and describe their music as “ANGELIC FUNKADELIC FREQUENCIES”. I couldn’t have put it better myself.
They are also friends of the blog (read more here), so when their second EP Unusual Saints To Pray To dropped, we were very excited to hear it.
“Calum’s Gambit” – The EP opens with a 93 second ditty – well – multi-layered vocals and haunting, ghostly swells of melody inspired by a Gaelic folk song, actually.
“Toad Stone” – A complete change of sound, atmosphere, and tone in the second track. Intricate math-rock vibes combined with hard funk, resulting in an angular blend of technicality and groove. Crashing drums, devastating guitars, and an utter feast for the ears.
“If She Was a Spice, She’d Be Flour” – About overconsumption in dating and expectations that don’t match reality. This has a wonderfully tactile sound; it moves between wide open spaces and confined corners, giving this an almost three dimensional feel. Izzy Nuñez’s vocal has a grungy punk energy and is the perfect fit. There are hidden treasuries to discover, but you’ll need a road map to follow where this song goes.
“She don’t feel for you, but she already told you so
You only want the scoop, soft serve all my love”
“Rudeneja” – The title basically means “like autumn”, and this track definitely makes me want to kick through a pile of leaves. It starts tenderly, but as the marching beat does battle with the unconventional time signature, and the South Asian textures reveal themselves, this feels like something waiting to explode.
“Etch initials into the wood
Fossilized in the sunrise”
“Rose Thread” – The tension builds really nicely in the closing track. There’s a Radiohead-like mournfulness and complexity, and a choral richness too. It’s about feeling like you haven’t made the most of the experiences you’ve lived. The song is an evolving beast; the mood changes more often than the wind. It’s raw, intense, and I love it!
“Memories pressed upon my skin
Bit by bit, I’m making sure of it ”
These are songs that demand you listen again and again. Rather than revealing themselves immediately, these melodies are rich and dense, slow burning but deeply rewarding. It’s funky, it’s heavy, it’s groovy, and above all, it feels like a band in full creative flow.
Unusual Saints To Pray To is an electrifying roller coaster ride where unexpected things leap out at you at every turn. It’s fizzing with invention and crackling with surprises. Like running head first into a brick wall covered in marshmallow, it befuddles and bemuses the senses. Kouskous Heaven will tickle parts of your brain that are usually left untouched.
Take a listen to “If She Was a Spice, She’d Be Flour” below.
Written by Grubby
