Movie Club – Fangtooth (2021)
The last year has been packed with horrors and small victories as we fight through an unprecedented experience. This rollercoaster of life has been turned into the engaging EP Fangtooth by Movie Club. Rising from the depths of sonic dark waters, the EP lifts you to the highs of good times before dropping you for the tense lows we have all faced.
Through the five tracks of the EP, Jessamyn Violet (drums) and Vince Cuneo (guitar) span the entire spectrum of human emotion. With their instruments, they paint a sonic world that is open to interpretation by listeners allowing everyone the chance to connect. Adding the talent of David Ralicke (horns) and Tim Lefebvre (bass) enhances the swelling journey of the EP.
The EP opens with ‘Badlands’ that hits the ground running with a rather action-packed soundscape. The guitars call to you from the depths of the soundscape and beckon you into the underworld of the music. As they call to you, the drums have your foot tapping to their beat. There is a rather ominous feeling to the music as it winds its way around your senses like dark wisps of smoke. While there is this feeling, you are also unable to deny the call and feel compelled to follow the wisping trails into the heart of the darkness.
‘Underwater Highway’ has a slightly softer feeling while the beats still make your feet tap whether you want them to or not. There is still a touch of darkness to the music, but this hits in a very different way to the opening track. The music moves from edging into darkness to softly floating down the soundscape. There are these pulses of heavies sound that turns your attention to them before a vibrating line flickers in the corner of your eye. This is a rather intense song that effortlessly draws you in while offering enough ambiguity to wrap around anything you can think of.
The interplay of guitars in the opening of ‘Trap Door’ is really interesting and sets a great tone for the track. At times, you do feel like something is about to give below you and this gets your heart racing a little. These feelings give way to an easy stroll through the soundscape that eases your senses. The rise and fall of tension in the track are wonderful and masterfully handled. Each edging of emotion is subtle while undeniable. The guitar work is absolutely amazing and really showcases the versatility of the instrument and the band’s musicality.
‘Ghost in the Machine’ brings a twilight vibe to the EP as you ride groovy rock tones. There is a subdued feeling to the music in the opening that creeps along your spine. As the song progresses, the instrumentation grabs your hand and leads you into the underbelly of the world. This is not as intense as the opening track and more a slow meander into the dark parts of the world. The melody is packed with shadows and dark corners that both call your attention and try to divert it. This is a stunning track that you can easily listen to on repeat.
The EP comes to a close with ‘Slinky Fish’ which has the lightest feeling of all the tracks. The guitars have an upbeat vibe to them that puts a small smile on your face. The movement of the melody also has you swaying to it before you bounce with the burst of sound that comes. The darkness of the previous tracks falls to the easy flow of the melody. It is a wonderful way to bring the EP to a close as it sets you off on a bright note while reminding you that there has been darkness on the journey you have taken with the band.
Movie Club shows that you don’t need lyrics to make an engaging and provocative EP with Fangtooth. Each track has a different vibe that spans the spectrum of emotion and experiences. While bringing different vibes, there is a thread of darkness that connects them all which is wonderfully handled.
Find out more about Movie Club on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
