Two Alt-Rock sounds united

For fans of: Two Door Cinema Club; The Smiths; Jekyll

The Wild, The Youth’s self-titled debut EP is alternative to its core, but in the midst of an identity crisis. Does it embrace the lighter and gentler side of alternative, the side that verges on dreamy shoegaze, or do they embrace the dirt and grit of the heavier side?

Through the EP, the band never seem to have too firm a hold on either side of the alternative genre. But while this could result in an EP that sounds disjointed and awkward, TWTY bring both together in a way that works. A lighter, reverb-heavy guitar glides with intense drum rhythms to make a sound that works despite the odds and actually sounds pretty good.

The track ordering probably helps. Opener ‘Awake’ blends searing guitars with a spacious synths to create a delicately crafted track that hits hard enough to make you aware it’s not just another one of those bands. This is followed immediately by heavy hitting ‘Predictable Me’, and then back to dreamy haze on ‘Searching For…’.

‘The Epicurean’, however, combines the two sides of the sound more boldly than the other tracks. This is a track that begins hazily, but soon transforms into an intense collapse of indie noise. It’s a brave move, and it pays off well – after ten minutes dancing around each other, it feels good to have the two different sounds dancing together. It’s a fitting end to the EP.

The EP is available as a free download. You can get a hold of it here.