A big trebly sound with fuzzy edges greets the listener on “Landmine”, the opening track of Spooled Up's Strange World EP. The name of the game is speed, and it feels like Spooled Up is throwing energy at the listener, providing just a single verse/buildup into a chorus before arriving at an instrumental breakdown. All of this a mere one minute into the track.

The dizzying, engaging twists and turns of the first track are replicated throughout the release, and always seems to be rooted in 90s sounds. Just as the frenetic energy of the first track moved into a heavy instrumental breakdown, the second track, “Scab”, goes from being a straight up Pavement indie lament to fuzzy Guided by Voices bounce pop.

The 90s is strong with this release, and every track is defined by vague emotional detachment and subdued lo-fi effects. In short, a recommended listen for any fans of 90s indie.

-Mike Dranove