The Atlanta indie outfit are at their adventurous best on their first collection of tracks following their over decade-long hiatus
Having spent 13 years on hiatus following a prolific time touring and playing shows after the release of their celebrated 2010 album Machines, Last Relapse are back, and the Atlanta indie band have an adventurous and dynamic appeal to them on their new self-titled EP feels sure to dispel any ideas that the band might have lost their spark in their time apart.
The collection of tracks opens with their comeback single ‘Everybody Dances Outside of Their Bodies’, a track that feels both introspective and hard-hitting, exploring the internal wars that we wage inside our heads as we grapple with who we really are and who we want to be, signalling this conflict in glorious ambitious and atmospheric fashion as the track swells and develops through its duration.
These internal conflicts continue on ‘Hey Girl’, an unpredictably structured track that hosts these stream-of-conscience lyrics that feel almost frantic and frenzied, with the narrator looking to come to terms with his state of being and his introverted, calculating nature. The sheer scope and ambition of this release is a breath of fresh air across the first two tracks, and it is apparent that the band have returned hungrier and more exciting than ever, really digging their teeth into their sound and narratives.
‘Rats in a Cage’ follows and is the second single from EP, a track anchored by its razor sharp rhythm section and more laid-back poppy hooks that allow their stylish and creative instrumentation to shine in a more thoughtful and defined way. Indie rock, particularly in the mainstream, has often been accused of feeling quite safe and formulaic in terms of its style, and Last Relapse feel like the antidote to this, even in their most radio-friendly and poppy moments.
The album’s most brooding and intense moment comes in the form of ‘In My Place’, a near seven-minute long epic that descends into gritty and grungy territory stylistically, moving at a deliberate pace as they explore themes like inequality, abuse of power and injustice in a way that feels harrowing and powerful throughout. The track moves so slowly and carefully but its like you can’t pull yourself away from it, serving as the crowning and most immersive moment on an album that is packed full of highlights and ambitious, memorable passages.
The EP closes out with ‘Solfeggio Dream’, a more spaced out and dreamy track that almost floats along throughout its duration, with its sprase instrumentation and layered vocals making for an otherworldly listening experience that grows increasingly intense and fuzzy at different times, keeping things feeling dynamic while mostly serving as a hazy send off for the release.
All in all, the EP is a masterful return from the band, and one that is packed full of adventurous ideas that vary from the dreamy and soft to the gritty, having you in the weeds at one moment and in the clouds in the next, but always having that distinctive feel and Last Relapse DNA that ties everything together in such a resounding way. This is a release that should not only put the band back on the map, but see them ascend to greater and loftier heights, smashing through whatever ceilings they came up against on their last run and finding whatever lies beyond.
