The dream-pop tinged 3-track EP opens with ‘McLeod Ganj’, a brief 2.5-minute trip-hop inspired tune that blends soft drum beats and the pitter-patter of shakers and light percussion with shimmering guitars and subtle synthesizer licks reverberating in the background. A gentle introduction into the audio aesthetic Alan-K builds over the course of the EP, perhaps the only downside to ‘McLeod Ganj’ is that it ends just before it seems like the band were about to kick into high gear and explore the musical motifs further.
Catharsis does arrive though, on the second track ‘Loud’, which channels the smoky california haze of bands like The Doors via deeply groovy electric piano stabs and speaker-rumbling bass guitar riffs. Drums (courtesy of Sherif El-Gharib) take center stage here, punching through the mix and setting a steady backbeat for the rest of the members of Alan-K to comfortably jam over. ‘Loud’ also marks Alan-K’s first foray into vocals, where they channel the baritone spoken-word stylings of Jim Morisson
The previously released single ‘Fortress’ is placed at the end of the tracklisting this time around, nicely closing off the project some melancholic instrumental vibes.
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