This EP sets the scene wonderfully from the start. The combination of peaceful acoustic plucking, atmospheric ambient noise, and slacker-esque vocal performance is rather unusual and complex to relate to anything else. There’s almost an emo-folk vibe (is that a thing) to the tone of the first track, Camping By The Sea. It’s earnest heart-on-sleeve stuff that wraps itself around you like a well-loved cardigan before eventually exploding into a cacophonous noise and ultimately turning back again.
Small Fry is a lo-fi folk ditty that is deceptively catchy. At only 94 seconds long, it doesn’t hang around long, but it doesn’t need to. It does what it sets out to at this time, and it executes it perfectly. The interplay between the instruments is charming and enchanting, and the intimate nature of the production brings to mind some of the more understated work of Iron & Wine or early Elliott Smith.
The slow, methodical pace of the third track, Sweet Chill, immediately reminds us of Low. It’s more lo-fi than the Duluth slowcore legends, though, and when the vocal comes in, this more than doubles down on the aesthetic. The splashy drums are a nice touch and add a welcome additional dimension and texture to this collection of songs.
The album these songs are taken from is entitled First Time I’ve Been Out In Weeks and is released on June 13th.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
