Review: Future Haunts’ Debut EP ‘Rubicon’
The Aussie music scene has been cranking out some great guitar pop bands of late, with so many taking influence from styles in the 90s. Think DMAs, think Green Buzzard and now, think Future Haunts.
The Brisbane trio have dropped their debut EP, ‘Rubicon’, and they’ve been experimenting with guitar sounds and effects since their debut single Ipso Facto. The band have stated that the EP represents the choices that all people face sometime in their youth, hence “Rubicon”. The EP will be a perfect accompaniment to any guitar pop or alt rock play list that you have been putting together.
Climb starts with echoing guitars, before pumping, fast, almost breakbeat-style drumming comes in to create a soaring sound with a lot of movement and a sense of urgency. This drumming utilises a lot of movement around the kit with frequent fills and splashing cymbals. Frontman Ben Speight channels his inner DMAs, Oasis, and at times, Jet with his vocal stylings.
“Future Haunts are sounding like they have some real potential when it comes to album time…”
With a waveform that looks like a swelling sea, Spaces subtly plays with dynamics and instrumentation throughout its runtime. Chiming guitars are punctuated by a pulsing bass line and thrashy drumming, and smooth vocal harmonies sail through the middle of the track. Verses rely on psychedelic effects on the guitar plucking, and the chorus ramps up with a whole stack of swirling sounds and instruments.
In Droves has a more post-punk vibe than many of the other tracks, with a bass-heavy sound and tom-centric drumming. The track channels some Smiths vibes in the guitar work with some of the echoing sounds throwing back to How Soon Is Now or The Queen Is Dead. The clean vocals ground the song, however, so that it never ends up sounding like too much of a swirling mess.
A very stop-start feel permeates Jumping The Shark. This track’s verses are very similar to the earlier Spaces with quieter, guitar driven vibes, and the band employ a good use of dynamics and tone in the bridge. Devon Loch sees plenty of fuzz and rhythmic chord work in the choruses while verses allow bassier tones take the fore. The vocal solo in the bridge works well before a phaser kicks in towards the end of the song to slowly fade out the other instruments and provide that closure of britpop and psych.
Overall the EP is a good blend of modern guitar pop and older alt rock stylings that work well together. The rhythm section and, in particular the drumming, are solid the whole way through the release, and some of the best moments come from the interaction between guitar and drums. Future Haunts are sounding like they have some real potential when it comes to album time…
Check out the music video for Devon Loch and the upcoming live dates below!
