Review Summary: Expedient Self's debut EP is a unique and intriguing mix of post-rock, ambient and noise.
Given that it's called The Present, the debut EP from "one-piece band" Expedient Self is presumably about the present moment in time. What this moment represents for Expedient Self is hard to say with any certainty, since the EP is accompanied by little in the way of liner notes or commentary, while the music itself is complemented only by (very) sparse lyrics. Still, judging by the overarching mood of foreboding and uncertainty, it's safe to say that Expedient Self -- like many of us -- isn't particularly hopeful when it comes to humanity's current direction of travel.
The Present's overall aesthetic of lingering dread is conveyed by a very simple setup: guitars. There are no drums on this record, with reverb'y, spidery and occasionally distorted guitars twisting through off-kilter phrases before being piled on top of each other at choice moments. The EP could probably be described as a mix of post-rock, ambient and noise rock, although there are no obvious direct influences on display, save maybe for brief nods to bands like (early) Godspeed You! Black Emperor, sound artists such as Graham Lambkin, and perhaps even My Bloody Valentine (and other shoegazers).
Regardless of who has influenced Expedient Self, the result of their inspirations is a relatively unique EP that can only be labelled as 'experimental guitar music.' While the record is downbeat and minimal at times, it also has its moments of intensity and clamor, such as the choruses of "Skinner Box" and the finale of "The Old Normal." One track -- "The End of History" -- is an entirely ambient piece that involves a field recording of a couple arguing at a restaurant (combined with some hazy guitar drift), while another -- "Hands for Heroes" -- layers a sample of Boris Johnson over some very wonky, discordant guitar lines that build up to a cacophony.
It's this variety that makes The Present an engrossing and rewarding listen. It's also what makes Expedient Self an interesting new act to follow, if only to see which of the EP's potential futures they end up pursuing.
