52 Blue by EMZYG

As a snickering, cynical darkness befalls the burgeoning post punk scene, 52 Blue by EMZYG embraces the indie sleaze spirit of the times while also indulging in the off-kilter post rock sounds of the experimental underground. At times, the band feels ready to run head-first into rock n roll revivalism, hinting at a chorus that channels the brash catchiness of bands like the Strokes. However, an accumulating cloud of suspended chords and anti melodies instead bursts into a downpour of genuine, dynamic emotion, washing away this facade of classic rock machismo into a dark, unsettling swamp. This deconstructed version of post punk injects much-needed emotional honesty into a genre that increasingly risks falling off an authenticity cliff, just as any popular genre will inevitably attract clout chasers who create in bad faith. By filling this familiar smoky, sultry sonic space with erratic catharsis and tense darkness, EMZYG delivers on the gothic promise, maintaining a hypnotically danceable feel while never losing sight of the internal instability that animates all outwardly macabre aesthetics.