Following a course first charted by the likes of Shellac, bought to our shores by pioneering bands such as Meterman and HDU and currently espoused by luminaries like Popstrangers and God Bows to Math, Cool Cult are the next step in the steady progression of a particular strain of math rock/post-hardcore. Their second release and latest EP finds them less acerbic than some of their predecessors or contemporaries but reveals a strong melodic quality to their music.
With more riffs per song than some bands offer on a whole album, Cool Cult present a constantly changing sonic platter. Highly rhythmic and staccato musical structures are contrasted against slow vocal phrases that balance out the mood and tone. What could be cold and clinical instead often becomes tranquil and spacious. It's a good approach, which at times produces an unusually (for this genre) optimistic sounding end result, as exemplified by first single 'Ayurveda'. At the other end of the Cool Cult spectrum is 'Silent Hill', a much noisier and more engergised tack.
This is an impressive EP from a band whose aesthetic is clear and well stated. While all six tracks are consistently good, tracks like 'From Kodiak' and 'All Your Broken Bones' offer immediate appeal where as 'Under Rooves' or 'Kingdom' reward repeat listening. Cool Cult will no doubt appeal to genre aficionados but their melodic sensibilities and contrasting elements make them more interesting than just another Math rock band. It's a compelling package.
