Sarrasine - EP1
(Self-Released)
Though Argentinian quartet Sarrasine may proudly wear their 90's noise-pop influences on their sleeves, their untitled debut EP feels surprisingly original, and just might be one of the freshest (or at least most well-produced) bandcamp releases of the year. It's not exactly innovative, borrowing Dinosaur Jr's incisive brand of fuzz and the saccharine jangliness of The Field Mice. It instead builds off of the foundation laid by shoegazers and twee-popsters alike, making for a noisy, yet lovely effort that is astounding in its textural diversity and overall depth. Although the debut is just five tracks long, it still packs heaps of towering dream-pop riffage, all but one song lasting over 5 minutes. EP1 is a titanic, meticulously effort that could very well draw a cult following someday.
"Juniper" opens the album ominously, a sluggish bassline squirming against tinny snare hits. As the track creeps forward, a wave of hissing feedback slowly envelops the rhythm section, making a space for the track's piercing, anthemic refrain. Though the chorus itself is wordless, it's extremely powerful, towering against a bassy, minimal verse. The vocals on the track are gentle and tender, a male/female harmony that hearken back to the frail beauty of a Sarah Records single. The EP's centerpiece, however, is "Cloudy-ah", carried by blasts of industrial percussion, grainy synths and wobbly guitaristry. It's a perfect blend of punk and ethereal shoegaze, not unlike the blistering twee-pop churned out by Joanna Gruesome. Sarrasine's debut is a brief, beautiful hit of noise rock that begs for repeat listens. Give it a shot below.