Husky Loops - EP2

Rating:

'EP 2' is a perfect four-track introduction to just what makes Husky Loops so special.

From Bologna, Italy to London, England via a name that’s been compared to “an off-brand bodybuilding cereal”, it’s no wonder Husky Loops are a little bit different from the norm. Their first EP was an exercise in boundary-pushing, jagged edges melting away into smooth melodies, claustrophobic songs suddenly expanding as fast as you can blink.

Their second EP, 'EP 2' (well done on the name, lads) picks up the ball and runs with it, building on what made their first effort so original and pushing even further. The paranoid guitar line of opening track ‘Fading Out’ perfectly cuts through the swirl of sound, almost fighting with the vocals for prominence on the track.

Second offering ‘Girl Who Wants To Travel The World’ is more subdued, almost minimalist in parts. Throughout the song, there are moments when it threatens to break free into something louder, before swiftly being brought back under control, an exercise in restraint.

Follow-up ‘Recollect’ holds back, even more, a squealing guitar line punctuating the underlying note of menacing feedback, while self-reflective lyrics read almost like a stream-of-consciousness diary entry.

Capping off the EP is ‘Secret Matilda’, about as close as Husky Loops are likely to come to a love song. It’s not exactly traditional though, and the lyrics “Stop looking at you / I’m gonna be sick for you” aren’t likely to entice many people onto a first date. At times the song almost reaches a level of optimistic sunshine, before swiftly retreating back into the obsessive shadows that Husky Loops occupy so well.

'EP 2' is a perfect four-track introduction to just what makes Husky Loops so special, pushing and pulling on all sides. They’re impossible to pin down and never predictable, but you always get the sense that they hit the exact spot they intend to. Jake Hawkes