Montreal-based Ribbon Skirt carve out a space where shoegaze haze collides with electronic-pop precision and alternative-rock attitude. Their new four-track EP, PENSACOLA, is noisy yet melodic, unpredictable yet intentional. Across its brief runtime, the band manages to balance this distortion with catchy songs that reveal layers of emotion.
“LUCKY8” opens the record with a jolt of energy. Loud guitars and distorted vocals crash into overdrive, setting a tone that’s raw and unrelenting. It’s a bold introduction, leaning into chaos while hinting at melodic undercurrents that Ribbon Skirt will gradually reveal with each track. “COMMA” shifts gears into something more dramatic and vocally driven. The slight autotune effect, paired with a lyrical cadence that loops in your head, makes it the EP’s most pop-forward moment. It’s sticky, hypnotic, and proof that they can write hooks without sacrificing atmosphere.
“BRAIDS” injects a dose of swagger into the tracklist. With its punk edge and sharper bite, it stands out as the EP’s most confrontational cut. There’s a confidence here – almost a sneer – that contrasts beautifully with the dreamier textures peppered throughout the release. The EP closes with its title track, “PENSACOLA.” Hypnotic and driving, the song builds in waves, climaxing with dramatic pauses and crashing releases. Lyrically, it’s the most poetic and introspective moment on the record, reflecting on self-identity and the lingering weight of a religious upbringing. It’s cathartic, expansive, and leaves the listener suspended in its afterglow.
Ribbon Skirt’s PENSACOLA is a compact but powerful statement – an EP that explores the tension between noise and melody. It’s the sound of a band who are here to blur and push boundaries, embracing noise and experimental textures while not being afraid to have a pop moment and emotionally poetic lyricism
Leave a Reply