By Jack Randall

At times seemingly recognizable, if only for fleeting moments, Lost Coves are not so easily pigeonholed into one of the plethora of genres that seem to appear every other week. Lingering silences are punctuated with fits of melody, often turning into explosions of fuzz. The vocals take on the same desperation as old school punk, replacing the thrashing backing guitars of those days with something more transient—a stripped down, bare bones sonic onslaught.

Lost Coves’ EP S/T opens strong with the short “Orig.” A vaporous build-up gives way to the grinding guitar crunch and ethereal vocals that will punctuate the rest of the album. The next few tracks attack classic strong structure with a vengeance. “Iceburg Firebird” has all the intensity, and instantly brings to mind the more experimental side of The Icarus Line. Vocals heavy on the echo, the guitar blitz make this one of the EP’s standout tracks. Distortion and fuzz are at their peak on “Hitmaker,” and just before the sound can become par for the course and repetitive “Coda” calms with its sparse and melodic lead to finish it all.

Reminiscent of earlier experimental music, and uniquely modern, Lost Coves have succeeded in producing a listenable EP. This is a solid performance, and while certainly one of the more interesting recordings to come out of a basement in some time, the true test of Lost Coves’ ability remains to be seen on stage. S/T showcases the glimmers of an energy that, if transferred to a live act, would be something to see.