Brooklyn-based alt-rock band Sub*T release their latest EP this month. The duo formed in 2019 and are fronted by self-taught musicians Grace Bennett and Jade Alcantara who draw inspiration from classic nineties female-driven rock, creating fuzzy, energetic songs. When asked about the latest release, Jade & Grace have said, “We are in bloom, and our `Spring Skin` EP is a testament to our growth. Our new collection of songs examines lust and desire, values the courage in moving on, wonders about loneliness, and celebrates evolving into different versions of yourself for the better. Just a little sentimental.”
`That Kind Of Night` leads us in with some exquisite guitar chord riffs before quietly shared vocals join to relate a tale of not loneliness but a sense of solitude or isolation as the narrator sees all and sundry out and about while they remain an observer at home. There`s a brief spoken word dialogue towards the end which adds a further sense of poignancy. A delightful opener that really expresses that vulnerability of the outsider and being unsure as to where or even if you fit in. `Unearthly` has a driving drum beat and fuzzy grungy riffs and may refer to the dangers of something or someone who is so captivating that you find it difficult to resist whatever they offer.
`The Hum`, for me was wonderfully mesmerising and appears to underline the infuriation of a relationship where one of the participants seems to be unable to allow the other into their deepest thoughts and feelings. It kind of slows down and revs up as it progresses, possibly mirroring the frustrations of the liaison. I felt myself pleasantly drifting off into thoughts of my own during `Noises Started` a number that is the longest on this release and charmingly hypnotic. Again, it seems to touch on relationship difficulties.
This five-track extended play closes out with `Shed` which the band describes as an anthemic and energetic track that encapsulates the essence of Sub*T’s sound and feels like classic, tried and true Sub*T—fun, bubbly, fast, and loud. It is a lighter more optimistic composition that is heading towards a power pop resonance. A superbly upbeat track to end on.
I loved the `Spring Skin` EP and had it on a repeat loop for more time than was healthy.
I read that the band conjure a world ominous yet inviting. “A dark fairytale journey,” and I for one, am more than happy to take that voyage and i`m sure once you`ve listened to this EP, you will too.
Rating 9/10
