Somehow it seems to me that Travoltas released Until We Hit The Shore only last year or perhaps the year before. But nooooo, it’s been four years already. That record is still on heavy rotation here, especially when the weather is sunny and the temperature is high (but not too hot). So I was so happy to hear a new EP by this Dutch punk powerhouse.
This EP kicks off with “Escape The Pressure” which could have been on Until We Hit The Shore. It would have been one of the more synth heavy songs, but it fits the mood on that album well. The second track is the title track and this is where I was surprised. A lot. For a second I thought I was listening to a long lost Van Halen track from the early eighties. Not what I was expecting at all. It is a decent track though with it’s heavy synth and super catchy chorus.
Third track “Start Again” is the slower track of the four and is more in line with Until We Hit The Shore. It could have been a B-side for a single for example. Not my favorite track of the bunch, but a decent track for sure.
Final track “Nightcrawler” annoys me. It is a great eighties influenced track again, that could have been lifted of a soundtrack from one of those horror movies that plays on a school campus. You know the vibe, right? The thing that bothers me is that I can’t pinpoint what band it reminds me of.
This EP feels a bit like Travoltas wanted to experiment with a different influence: eighties hard rock. They took the sunny side of that music and incorporated it into their own brand of punk rock with great results. The crystal clear production does help a lot, I need to add.
This EP is released with the previous EP The Longest Wait from 2014 on vinyl as a nice bonus. Another great soundtrack for the summer!
