If the debut EP from art rock group Ugly sounds familiar, it's because you've heard most of it before. All tracks, other than one, have been released as singles in the last couple of years, yet it still feels satisfying to have them all in one place, complete as one project.
It certainly feels complete; this is one of the most confident and well-constructed EPs I've heard in a long time.
Opener 'The Wheel' had been teased at live shows before its release last year. It is a seven-minute epic of a track, with many phases, batshit complex arrangement and the band's signature vocal harmonies. It is a massively ambitious track.
The track morphs into many shapes during its runtime. First, we have a gorgeous acapella intro, utilising many voices and highlighting just how talented the entire band is. After this, the band enter an Animal Collective-esque middle section, with rapid-fire quirky and repetitive vocals and a monstrous drum performance adding so much to the chaotic momentum. Somehow still catchy, the track's repeated phrases embed themselves into your brain despite their complexity.
'Sha' is a lovely, country-inspired change of pace, complete with twangy guitars and a much more laid back feel. The vocal harmonies are tasteful and not showy and the guitar lines are simple but solid. It has a timeless, singalong feel and again utilises every member.
'Icy Windy Sky' is the one unreleased track and, thank god, it's incredible. With Radiohead-y fingerpicked guitars, we are immediately sent into a trance, once again, for an ambitious seven-minute journey.
It can't be overstated just how important Ugly's vocals are to their sound; the way they merge here is completely soothing and wickedly tight. As the repeated round of "I see a windy sky, I know that I haven't got the time, I know that" cycles, it rings so cleanly and satisfyingly.
The folk instrumentation is beautiful while the build up is somehow just as epic as 'The Wheel'; the band clearly love the drama of a well-executed explosion of sound. Each section feels measured and necessary and this is yet another example of just how confident a sound this relatively young band have crafted. The arrangements are complex and thoughtful and the soundscapes created are dream-like and lush.
Another highlight comes from EP closer 'I'm Happy You're Here', a lengthy, winding track that wraps up the project neatly and snugly. The track is refreshingly simple and quiet, with Ugly luckily not allowing their technicality to become grating or tired; there is a lot going on in this EP and it wouldn't be hard to overdo it.
The nonchalant and soothing deep vocals pair wonderfully with the backing harmonies. Of course, the arrangement is again gorgeous, with the track unfolding into a romantic but sinister slow-burner. Despite its eight-minute runtime, it is completely gripping and controlled, with dips and rises always necessary but unpredictable. As a closer, it feels nostalgic and complete.
Though these tracks are familiar, hearing them in the context of their home is wonderful, with 'Twice Around The Sun' feeling warm and rounded but incredibly ambitious.
Originally published for CLUNK Magazine
Yorumlar