Announced to play a two-date round of headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney a few weeks ago, The Bohicas were relatively unknown. Since the announcement, airplay of Swarm and XXX has steadily increased ahead of this June 13 EP release.
Let’s start off with the final track of the release Swarmas it’s possibly the most apt name for a song of the past few years, given the band themselves have this buzzing frenetic energy about them. Given the artwork for the song XXX is a bee or wasp of some description, this is clearly no accident. There are only four songs to be heard here, yet the band still have an undeniable urge to tear through them all as quickly as possible, ala The Hives; and the sound is very similar on this track in particular.
Opening number Crush Me builds, before letting go with an all guns blazing kind of instrumental chorus full of distorted guitars, hand claps and flat out noise that has no right to sound good but somehow just does. It also features the best lyric on the release, ‘Coz the last time I saw her she was in the kitchen peeling my spuds’. There’s a Black Keys sort of toe tapping feel here too.
XXX has a distinct ‘60s vibe, using an echoing vocal technique in recording to full effect. The pleasing thing about this release is that the two previously unheard tracks are probably the strongest tracks, if not easily as good as the two songs already unleashed.
BY ALEXANDER CROWDEN
Best Track: Crush Me
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: THE HIVES, BRITISH INDIA, MAXIMOPARK
In A Word: Ballsy
