EP REVIEW: STR^NGE – STR^NGE

’…This EP marks the band as one of the most exciting and enigmatic bands that you will find in Merseyside…’

Immediately, one has to appreciate the audacity of any band calling themselves STR^NGE; any sense of mundanity in their music would be prime ammo for criticism. Thankfully, this isn’t the case here, so that bold choice pays off.

Following on from their 2023 debut EP ‘Let’s Leave The Greyhounds In Their Slips’, the band have released a small collection of singles, which have here been gathered up and added to with brand new material. The resulting five-track self-titled effort feels like a brilliant introduction to the strange world of STR^NGE.

Despite their penchant for the unexpected and unconventional, STR^NGE have a phenomenal knack for crafting ridiculously infectious tracks. Bringing together influence from funk rock, psych rock, and progressive rock, what could be a deeply inaccessible and self-indulgent nightmare is instead a collection of tracks that ooze charm, character, and effortless coolness, despite their inherent ridiculousness.

From the groovy, bass-heavy swagger of ‘Calligula II‘, to the alliterative playfulness of ‘The Length of a Cigarette‘, STR^NGE keep things feeling fun and fresh whilst ensuring they deliver substantial and exciting musical performances. The humour present doesn’t serve as a detriment to the impact of the tracks, and actually in the case of ‘Gal Gadot’s Vertigo Overthrow‘, only serves to bolster it further; the swing rhythms and ghoulish vocal harmonising makes this scathing yet absurdist critique of the noted Zionist all the more cathartically enjoyable.

All of this culminates in the theatrical masterpiece that is ‘Timestuck‘. From the weathered yet rich vocal performance, to the piano fronted instrumental that expands into ridiculously rousing ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band‘ styled symphonies, ‘Timestuck‘ is a bafflingly expansive and ambitious offering from a band so small, and is certain to go down as one of the hidden gem offering of 2024. The circling, spiralling climax of the track is simply begging to be heard played live.

STR^NGE may be novel, but they’re no novelty act. This EP marks the band as one of the most exciting and enigmatic bands that you will find in Merseyside. The way in which this band are able to pull their non-mainstream influences and weave them together into catchy anthems that even your local indie rock fan will adore is the mark of a band with a clear vision and ethos. Keep it strange, STR^NGE.

RATING: 79/100 – Mostly Very Good

For Fans Of: The Dear Hunter, Bonk!, Dirt Poor Robins, Kaizers Orchestra, Alabama Three

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify // Twitter