Aye Nako // Silver Haze: The band describes their music as “sad punk songs about being queer, trans, and black” which sounds like an accurate (and great) description. Very punk-rock/garage rock sound to each song. They often break away from the power-chord formula associated with the genre and provide some pretty cool riffs and licks through all the hard-hitting noise. Great album!
FCC: 3, 6. Recommended: 4, 7, 11, 12. RIYL: Superchunk, Pity Sex, Pixies, Nirvana.

1. We’re Different Now (1:35) An intro song with the audio of a video (?) recording over some simple guitars. Probably not one to play on a show.
2. Sissy (1:52) Fuzzy emotionally charged punk-rock. “Tell me what I need to stay safe on the streets”.
3. Half Dome (3:55) FCC: “bullshit”. Bit of a surfey sound from the single note guitar in the verses, goes harder in the chorus with a head-banging rhythm.
4. Nightcrawler (3:22)** Love the runs from the guitar on this one! Dissonant guitars, overlaid vocals in the chorus, maybe a bit more pop-punk than the previous songs.
5. Muck (3:37) Off-beat vocals (purposely), vocal harmonies, lots of tempo changes. A punk song about the vocalist’s experience with anti-blackness, impactful.
6. The Gift Of Hell (3:57) FCC: “shit” (maybe? Cannot tell.) Pixies-esque sound, very grungey.
7. Particle Mace (3:28)** Catchiest song, pop melody but slamming guitars keep it punk.
8. Arrow Island (3:13) Driving crunchy guitars for most of the song, dropped bass lines.
9. Spare Me (2:50) Melody driving skippy guitars, noisey chorus. Tempo drops and becomes more melancholic in the breakdown before going back into a full howl.
10. Nothin’ Nice (2:30) Lots of warping pedal effects on the chorus, reminds me of Nirvana, guitars are almost menacing.
11. Tourmaline (4:34)* Slow and gliding opening, rocking guitar riffs mesh perfectly with vocals in chorus. Breakdown with just the bass adds a nice grunge touch.
12. Maybe She’s Bored With It (2:25)* Guitars almost sound like theyre spinning. The most mellow and possibly uplifting sounding song on the album with “oohs~” in the verses.

Sam I Am.