ep review ~ the end ~ 'the end ep'

Mysteriously drifting onto the Belfast music scene this Summer, with little to no advertising, The End are a rare breed. Not feeling the need to announce themselves as the new saviors of local indie has cast an enigmatic shadow on a band who would much rather let their music do the talking. Describing themselves simply as, 'four lifelong friends who grew up writing and playing music together', it paints a harmonious picture of a band wanting to simply make music for the joy of making music. Taylor Johnson got his hands on their debut eponymous EP.

Wasting no time with drawn out, building intros, The End start straight into their debut EP with a funk styled bass line, which soon bursts into the dream-pop like soundscape envisioned on the EP's cover. 'Say No' combines the upbeat  guitar riffs of an on form Aztec Camera and provides an undercurrent of delicate and sweet vocals layered over it, creating a light and breezy tone. Beautifully self deprecating and witty, ('don't say anything worth while, it will only be lost on me and you') the over all effects of this soulful and playful opener is a lasting smile, the perfect result for a track made for the festival circuit. The delicate and personal vocal delivery is reminiscent of a young Beautiful South or perhaps a more energised Loose Salute. Yet the biggest compliment that can be given to a track like 'Say No', is it has the vibe of a track that could easily stand it's place on 'So Much For The City', the stunning debut from the Irish band The Thrills. Like a refreshing wave of optimistic, guitar driven indie, 'Say No' is a wondrous opener.

'River', which follows, has a more melancholy tone. This time opening with acoustic guitar, the fading of the backing riffs adds to the atmosphere of another fantastic vocal performance. This time filled with spiritual undertones, The End again display a wit and complexity, totally unexpected on a debut EP. 'and if we play God, will he play us too?', a rhetorical question or profound social statement? Either way, it's incredibly thought provoking. The song builds to a Feeder-esque chorus, powerful and yet understated, with soaring riffs as uplifting as it is touching. The End sound like a band in full flight towards the end of the track, an atmosphere built out of splendor, that ends as serenely as it started, with Tired Pony styled choir vocals and a final strum of acoustic guitar.

The EP ends with 'Electric', bursting into the sort of intro that The Verve once lived on in their 90's hey-day, slow feed back and ethereal riffs cascading into life. This time the focus is on lost 'Summer days and electric nights' as the protagonist longs for his lost love. Atmospheric and bright, 'Electric' is the most accessible song of the EP, but that is no bad thing. Towards the end of the track, it soars and glides like all the belief of a Manic Street Preachers song, with an anthemic like quality.

With their self titled debut EP The End have created something very special. The most interesting aspect of their arrival has been the subtly and mysterious nature surrounding it. With virtually no obvious advertising techniques, word of mouth has started the build up of hype which surrounds their EP and it is this 'old school' technique which will allow it to continue to grow. Judging by the style of their already developed indie, you get a sense that The End may just like it that way. An incredible debut.

Review by Taylor Johnson.

If you like; The Loose Salute, The Beautiful South, The Thrills ~ you'll love The End.

Listen to 'The End EP' here & keep up to date with all The End official news here.

'The End EP' is out now...