A psychedelic band infused with dark, orchestral melodies.

Over the past four years, Friend Roulette has developed into a six-piece ensemble including a bass clarinet, violin and synthesizer, making for a lot of amazing and unique tunes. The kick drum pounds away at the start of “I Guess,‰” leading to Julia Tepper‰’s vocals sporadically intertwining with the fuzziness created by the guitar, synthesizer, and violin all melding together. “Just Woke Up (Fucked Up)‰” unveils a more soulful side to the group two-thirds of the way through the song. While the vocals suggest more of a soul-influenced vibe, there is contradiction coming from the lyrics, “yesterday was so fucked up,‰” and from the prominent synthesizer blasting in the background. The last three tracks are all quite similar, “Rocket Dog‰” and “Grow Younger‰” both have a slower start, revealing themes of wonder and fear (which are consistently hinted at in all five songs) eventually illuminating into a more powerful performance with the orchestration plowing the way. Overall, a pretty awesome EP.

RIYL: Sibille Attar, The Casket Girls, Peggy Sue
Recommended Tracks: 1, 4, 5