The current EP from Ohio indie/experimental pop group Peaks is a record of contrasts, but not to the point whereby it sounds like a multi-band compilation. It's just that they have different ideas and tastes and they're not afraid to use them. It's actually the title-track which closes the album and perhaps marks its most experimental moment, when the jittery shuffle of the drums meets with some wailing guitar, before easing off the gas for an introspective, harmony-rich and mildly discordant indiepop song. There's light and there's dark; two fundamental attributes to these four songs. In this instance the music flits between both, but the lyrics are on the downbeat side.
When compared to the up and down, almost jammed 'OH', it sounds more carefully considered, but that's not to knock the ramshackle charm that 'OH' (as in short for 'Ohio') has, but it's relatively lo-fi and the sudden turn of pace catches you off guard following the melancholy intro. 'Four' is even more downbeat and demo-like, but again, you wouldn't really want it any other way. Of course there's no shortage of lo-fi music at this moment in time, but not all of those bands/artists can suddenly turn their hand to an accessible, sunshine-fueled indiepop song like 'Slumberland', which makes for great single material and should be clogging up the airwaves. A curious EP then, but that's only to its credit.
Peaks' website
Buy the EP
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