Uniquely packaged and shorn of any kind of booklet providing band information, Shineski present something of a conundrum to the casual listener, with only the vector drawn 3d shape present on the front of the casing providing a clue as to the angular, guitar-driven music the band make. Upon closer inspection it becomes clear that Shineski are, in fact, the missing link between Kurt Cobain’s oft-professed love of the Beatles and Sonic Youth. The band are experts at mangling guitars in new and exciting ways, but always on hand, should things get too messy, are honeyed vocal harmonies that smooth over the furrowed edges of the music – think Cave In covering Nirvana and Sonic Youth and you have an idea of the metallic grunge on offer here.
Offering just five tracks over 27 minutes, ‘leave you in the dark’ is a short, engaging listen. The first track, ‘sorrow and tears’ is a meandering highlight that takes in a good deal of sonic territory, strolling between the aforementioned vocal harmonies, and solid guitar abuse that would not sound out of place on early sonic youth albums ‘sister’ or ‘evol’. The title track, in contrast, is a more muscular beast that veers between dusty, melodic vocals, and huge palm-muted riffs that chug and grind with industrial efficiency, recalling the dry might of Queens of the Stone Age on ‘Rated R’. Having set out their stall with a mixture of churning metallic riffs and stoner groove, ‘up the wall’ draws on a taut beat to introduce an air of menace, the music drawing upon a wall of solid bass and only minimal guitars, the latter being held in check until being finally unleashed on the chorus. It’s a song of light and shade, Shineski demonstrating a masterly grasp of dynamics as they veer between the darkness of the verses and the heavier choruses before finishing with a brilliant outro riff which you could quite happily listen to forever – it’s a strong band who can churn out quite such a riff with such casual abandon and sound none the weaker for it.
Easing into the latter stages of the record, ‘it’s time to say goodbye’ is more traditionally alternative in its outlook, a punkish abandon shot through the fast moving guitars and aggressive but still melodic vocals, but just as you think the band have slackened the pace a touch, they throw in a few curveball riffs which up the game – it’s a trick the Wildhearts have used well over the years – and take the whole track up a notch. Final track ‘to the end’ opens with a sludgy bass riff and heads straight back into QOTSA territory with the guitar crawling along at a savagely slow pace before being stripped out altogether for a verse that simmers with tension. The chorus, meanwhile, takes those Beatles influences and adds to them a pinch of the Meat Puppets to deliver a powerful melodic punch that guarantees you’ll be singing the damn song wherever you go for days after. It’s a fitting end to the record and you’re left in no doubt that Shineski have not only a wide range of influences but also the musical talent to draw them together and develop their own sound.
There’s a strong feeling of nostalgia when listening to Shineski. They glance back at the days when Nirvana, Soundgarden and QOTSA ruled the airwaves and when the underground scene was dominated by labels such as Sub Pop and Amphetamine Reptile. The mix of grinding, often very heavy guitars, and layered vocals is a much-missed feature of those heady days and Shineski have captured that heavy yet memorable edge perfectly whilst adding their own slant to proceedings in the form of an angular punk hue reminiscent of bands such as Cave in and Refused. ‘leave you in the dark’ is, then, a fine EP that recaptures the power and eclecticism of alternative music and points to grand things for Shineski if they can continue to deliver music of this quality over the course of a full-length album. Melodic, memorable and often exciting, ‘leave you in the dark’ is an engaging listen indeed.
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