LAST RELAPSE CRAFTS A VIVID, GENRE-BLENDING EP THAT FEELS ALIVE AND UNPREDICTABLE
Last Relapse are not interested in playing it safe or sticking to one corner of the indie rock universe. Their new EP feels like a fully formed creative leap, a collection of songs that twist, stretch, and shift shape while still feeling like they belong together. The band moves through moods with a rare kind of confidence, pulling from a wide palette of influences without ever sounding derivative. What emerges is a project that feels cinematic, emotional, unpredictable, and genuinely alive.
From the moment the opening track begins, it is clear that Last Relapse are building something more ambitious than a simple set of songs. The EP plays like a journey, each track opening a new door and revealing another side of the band’s evolving sound. And it all starts here. Let’s dig in:
“Everyone Dances Outside of Their Bodies” opens the EP with elongated, shimmering guitar tones and a pulse that almost feels like a modern, cinematic take on a little drummer boy rhythm. The instrumentation is tight and clean, and the reverb adds just the right amount of space without muddying the mix. The track carries a familiar warmth, calling to mind the swirling textures of early Silversun Pickups, the sharp precision of Foals, and a touch of the intricate, slightly eccentric charm you hear in Ramona Falls.
The production feels thoughtful and confident. Every layer sits exactly where it should, and nothing is wasted. Just when you think the song has revealed everything, it closes with a guitar solo that is straight-up delicious. It is expressive, tasteful, and the perfect final touch. As an opening track, it sets the tone beautifully and hints that the rest of the record is going to be something special.
“Hey Girl” thunders to life with a beautifully textured guitar tone that immediately grabs your attention. The echo on it feels like it is coming from an old MXR pedal or something in that universe, warm and gritty in all the right ways. The vocals come through crisp and expressive, guiding the track with a clarity that makes every line feel intentional. The whole song plays like a wide open sonic canvas, with each band member adding their own color and texture as it moves along.
There is a moment in the middle where the track wanders into unexpected territory, almost like it is searching for a new direction. Just when you start wondering where it might land, everything snaps back into focus and the band locks in again. The influence of Isaac Brock and early Modest Mouse pours through the song, from the vocal phrasing to the slightly unhinged energy humming underneath. It feels raw, inventive, and fully alive.
“Rats in a Cage” lightens the mood a bit, shifting into a friendlier, more inviting key. The drums on this track are outstanding and immediately stand out, giving the song a warm, propulsive energy that feels effortless. The overall vibe leans into a surprising blend of Americana and early Fugazi, with a little Built to Spill woven into the guitar phrasing. There is also a clear hint of Cage the Elephant in the looseness of the groove and the slightly playful edge running underneath everything.
The guitars are a major highlight. They explore, wander, and open up the track in a way that feels adventurous without losing focus. By the time the solo arrives at the end, it feels completely earned and it rips in all the right ways. “Rats in a Cage” ends up being one of the most refreshing moments on the EP, a burst of brightness that still carries plenty of depth.
“In My Place” arrives as the fourth track on the EP and immediately slows everything down, almost to a crawl. It feels like trudging through heavy snow on a cold February day, each step thick and deliberate. The chill in the song is unmistakable, settling over you in a way that is both haunting and strangely comforting. The reverb on the vocals is gorgeous, giving every line a ghostlike echo that hangs in the air. At nearly seven minutes long, it drifts into a meditative space, the kind of track you can fully lose yourself in. If tripping out to music is your thing, this one is built for that.
“Solfeggio Dream” closes the album, and if you thought the previous track put you in a hypnotic state, wait until this one settles in. The title references solfeggio frequencies, a set of tones believed by some to have calming or even healing qualities, and the song leans fully into that idea. It drifts, sways, and opens up in a way that feels almost therapeutic. Honestly, we would love to hear an instrumental version just to see what it does to our brains without the vocals guiding the experience. There is a cinematic, almost cosmic quality to the track. It feels like you have stumbled into a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey, floating somewhere between reality and whatever comes after it. It is a surprising and very cool way to wrap up a rock album, especially one this layered and textural. “Solfeggio Dream” ends everything on a note that feels expansive, dreamy, and strangely profound.
Taken together, this EP feels like a journey through a dozen emotional climates, each track offering a different temperature, texture, and way of inhabiting its world. What begins with shimmering guitars and cinematic pacing evolves into experimentation, playfulness, introspection, and ultimately something almost spiritual. Last Relapse move through these moods with real intention, never losing the thread of what makes their sound connect in the first place. By the time “Solfeggio Dream” fades out, you get the sense that you have traveled through something complete and beautifully strange. It is an EP with identity, ambition, and a genuine curiosity about where sound can go next. More importantly, it is the kind of project that lingers long after the final note dissolves.