Pebbledash - To Cast the Sea in Concrete EP

On their new EP 'To Cast the Sea in Concrete', Cork's Pebbledash zigzag between trad folk, shoegaze, post-punk, glitchy noise and warm, swelling indie like a band flicking through presets with no intention of picking just one. It's a bit all over the place. It's also really good.

Things kick off gently with 'Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór', a traditional folk instrumental that whispers "this might be a tasteful EP" - a lie. One track later, and 'Tiles and Moss' is blasting through like a scene-stealer from a Wolf Alice deep cut. Big guitars, big feelings, proper standout.

'Isn't It Always' dials it back with a softer, more classic approach - moody but grounded. 'An Fear Marbh' follows like someone tripped over a pedalboard in a dream. It's noisy, chaotic and kind of brilliant, if not strictly "song-shaped". 'Cell' starts fragile, then slowly swells into something comforting. 'O The Wind' leans back into trad, all strings and softness, before 'The Shape of a Day' returns to the fuzz for one last ride.

There's a lot going on. Some of it connects instantly. Some of it takes a minute. But what holds it together is the intent; this is a band reaching beyond neat, tidy ideas and seeing how far they can stretch their sound without it snapping.

'To Cast the Sea in Concrete' might not be easy to pin down, but it's full of ambition, atmosphere and a few genuine wow moments. Pebbledash are clearly onto something, even if they're still figuring out exactly what that is.