Raw indie energy from a drummer and performer with a somewhat art-noir approach to alternative rock. Name This EP! is every bit as uncertain, confronting and vague as its title and opening track imply, the distorted riff and chaos of Not What You Expect setting the bar accordingly, with upfront vocals and rhythmic vocal loops that are impossible to ignore.
As we then move into Cold Cold Night, our White Stripes fanatic presents a strong leading riff, an intimate kind of catchy groove, reverberating echoes offering a sense of melody and imagery, as our singer smoothly reflects upon a poetic set of ideas regarding connection.
Later on, Mother’s Heart leads with piano, a versatility shift once more, but the minimalist, spacious arrangement and these raw, unfiltered vocals still providing clear recognisable threads throughout all five songs. Inti’s voice and lyrics seem perfectly paired, and Mother’s Heart is perhaps the longest form story, and the most compelling.
The riff work gets better still then, as Who’s To Say feels like a timeless indie anthem on its production alone. The voice is softer, less confronting, the lyrics are gripping, talk of unhappiness and optimism, thoughts on the self and the decisions of the past. As the emotion rises, it’s subtle but effective, and still that riff rolls on. The beat injects energy, a force that underlines the change to the hook brilliantly, and in short, this is easily the best track on the record – by a mile in fact. The song is accessible, alternative, unpredictable yet satisfying, and perfectly artistic in its unity between music, mood, and story.
Finally, the keys return, for a directly addressed consideration of another, or the listener. Nothing Left To Do brings a little optimism and brightness, for just over one minute of old-school melodic waves, rising and falling through short lyrical refrains that feel relatable, optimistic, and quite uplifting in their purity and subtle joy.
Download or stream Name This EP! Find Inti on Instagram.
