South-East London’s most prominent pedallers of psych-punk-shoegaze Whistlejacket have just dropped their second EP ‘Oh Brother’ and by gosh it’s something for your ears to behold. Slacklining the void between those in the Tame Impala or Tuska school, and the lo-fi stylings of My Bloody Valentine or Yuck, Whistlejacket ooze scuzz’n’fuzz from every pore.
Kicking off with lead single and title track ‘Oh Brother’, its curling and coiling riff entwines its way around your brain from the get-go, the intensity across the four tracks never lets up. Swiftly following the pounding opening is ‘GB Ache’, and you’d better have brought your space boots as this track is as cosmic as it is fabulously squelchy.
In true homage to the dual sided nature of vinyl records, the third and fourth tracks ‘Hotter Than Heaven’ and ‘March Hare’ provide a more laid-back and psychedelia-infused counterpoint to the raucously upbeat opening salvo. The former delights with its blissfully pained vocals alongside call-and-response riffage, akin to that of Pond‘s stand-out track ‘Giant Tortoise’. ‘March Hare’, meanwhile calls to mind an acid-washed mad hatters tea party, or a ‘Fear and Loathing….’ style desert scene, with its spiralling atmospherics and hypnotising repetitions.
Overall this is a sterling effort from the Londoners, amidst all the style and sonics there are many pockets of joy to be discovered, yet a few more hooks to hang your hat on would not go amiss. On the flip side, the vibe and feeling created within this latest buzz band’s sound cannot be faulted, generating a seriously assured and cohesive collection of tracks here. Definitely an outfit to keep one’s eyes and ears on over the coming months.
‘Oh Brother’ is out now on Fierce Panda, purchase on iTunes here. Whistlejacket will headline London’s Lexington on Monday 19th September. Tickets are available here.
