“Don’t feel bad — this part of the plan.”
NorCal hardcore punks Scowl have certainly been making the rounds recently, haven’t they? With numerous appearances across the world over the past year, as well as some beloved features on hardcore video project hate5six it’s safe to say that they’re on the up and up, and they don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. That much is evident on their latest EP, Psychic Dance Routine, their first release since 2021’s seminal How Flowers Grow.
Right from its lead single “Opening Night”, it’s been abundantly clear that Psychic Dance Routine is anything but a laurel-resting continuation of the band’s established sound. While still featuring hints of their hardcore roots here and there, the track’s more overtly skate-punk aesthetics took the spotlight, to great result. The wider hardcore community might turn their noses up at it, but I believe the softer, more ‘90s-inspired direction found on that single is emblematic of exactly what I wanted to hear out of the group, after hints of that sound were trickled in on How Flowers Grow.
That’s not to say Psychic Dance Routine is all soft dancey numbers – it’s decidedly not – but the moments between the hardcore riffing and fierce screams give the band a level of contrast and character that I believe only serves to bolster both ends of their sound. Providing that juxtaposition between sounds that, truth be told, stem from fairly closely-aligned hardcore and punk scenes, elevates Scowl to another level of songwriting on Psychic Dance Routine.
Opener “Shot Down” blasts the listener from the getgo with a sub-two-minute rager, demonstrating Psychic Dance Routine’s sonic spread. Pacey, punky hardcore aesthetics interweave with the aforementioned ‘90s grunge and skate-punk notions to craft a dense and dynamic opening number for the EP. From here onward, however, Psychic Dance Routine takes a more push-pull-angled strategy in spreading out its contrasting sounds. The EP’s title track, for instance, immediately follows, and stands as the EP’s most outwardly ‘soft’ cut, comprised entirely of clean vocals (gasp), but shifts quickly back toward the band’s more aggressive sound on “Wired” without a second thought.
After an appearance from aforementioned lead single “Opening Night”, the EP is topped off by “Sold Out”. Ending as it began, with another track clocking in at under two minutes, “Sold Out” is heavy Scowl at their very best. Riffy, bouncy, punky and ferocious; Psychic Dance Routine closes out in style with the EP’s most electrifying and energetic cut.
Not that they particularly have anything to prove anymore, but I firmly believe that Psychic Dance Routine, tightly packed as it may be, stands as Scowl’s finest work to date, and proves that the NorCal group are far more than just another hardcore band. Expertly pulling from elements of fierce hardcore punk and dancey skate-punk, while I wish the sounds were blended a tad more as opposed to largely standing in their own corners, Psychic Dance Routine is an incredibly strong foray from one of heavy music’s most promising rising stars.
8.5/10
Psychic Dance Routine is due for release this Friday, April 7th via Flatspot, and you can pre-order the EP here.