Sub Cultures – Sub Cultures (2021)
Earlier this year, we had the honour of reviewing a single from pop-rock band Sub Cultures (read our review of ‘Enjoy Yourself’ here). Now the UK-based quartet is back with their debut EP Sub Cultures. Nodding to the pop-rock and pop-punk groups of the ’90s/early 2000s, Kane Radnor (vocals and rhythm guitar), Lewis Perks (lead guitar), Charlie Foster (bass) and Eric Karvik (drums) have a highly infectious sound. Formed in 2019, the group has a “newbie” status among more established acts; however, their sound is a breath of fresh air in a stagnating scene.
Recorded at Rockfield Studios with renowned producer Jack Boston (The Cure), this self-titled debut EP is a sonic representation of the band as a whole. In only four tracks, Sub Cultures showcase their eclecticism elegantly traversing various genres including indie-rock, grunge and post-punk. While I know the lads to be a pop-rock group, they quickly dispelled any labels with their genre-defying style.
“This EP feels more mature compared to our first few singles. We’ve spent the last year writing and playing together, but also growing as people alongside each other. We’ve grown more confident allowing us to be more creative and experimental without forgetting about who we are musically. Recording at Rockfield was a hell of an experience – it was surreal to play in a studio that’s accommodated some of the greatest musicians and Jack really encouraged us to experiment and play around with the record. I think we’re all really proud of what we ended up creating.” – Kane Radnor (vocalist) on ‘Sub Cultures’
A mostly guitar-driven EP, Sub Cultures moves from hard-hitting rock-influenced instrumentation to a steadier, slower and more subdued design in a few minutes. Incorporate pounding drums amidst the tracks and you have a smorgasbord of dynamic instrumentation. What I find intriguing about the melody is the changes in tone and pace within individual singles. For instance, the final track ‘Ride With You’ has a languid opening but crescendos into high-powered guitar solos to round the EP off with a bang.
Reputed for their emotional lyricism atop engaging melodies, Sub Cultures stand out again with evocative content that adds poignancy to the tracks. Touching on elements of love, loss, anguish, pain, inner conflict and desperation, Radner and his crew capture the hearts of their listeners. Radner’s throatiness seems to add a “grittiness” to the songs creating a kaleidoscopic soundscape of life at its rawest.
I am a huge fan of Sub Cultures music, but I believe this EP shows an evolution in their sophisticated sound. I have difficulty choosing a favourite because ‘Comedown’ reminds me of 1990s pop-rock; however, ‘Friends’ tends to show greater innovativeness with underlying afrobeat in an indie-rock package. Expertly exploring the fragile essence of the human spirit, the South Wales group are breaking the mould in all sorts of ways.
For more from Sub Cultures check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
