Quietly captivating, subtlety gripping, delicately engrossing–there are countless combinations of adverbs and adjectives that can be used to describe the sound of Sea Knight. The band’s debut EP Where Are You is full of contemplative indie rock that straddles various sub-genre lines. Listen closely and you can pick out some shoegaze, a dash of psychedelia, traces of Sonic Youth angst (especially on “Concrete” with its pained, questioning refrain) and melodic sensibilities worthy of the Pixies. The instrumental “Crows Came and Spoke of New Beginnings” even touches on hard rock as the slow burn of subdued guitars and restrained drums gradually devolves into ripping chords, crashing cymbals and haunting vocal wails.

The EP is already available digitally and an official release show is scheduled at the end of the month at the Bottom of the Hill. Fans of minimalist indie rock that can still pack a punch won’t want to miss out.

https://soundcloud.com/seaknight/concrete

Sea Knight, Babes, WAG
Bottom of the Hill
March 25, 2014
9pm, $8 (21+)