The Wake

The new 31 Knots five-song disc was a journey unlike any I had taken before. The tone starts dreary, as “Sounding Off Uncertainty” casts you into the depths of some dark, untreadable water. You hear a deep bellow, as if from a creature you cannot name. A weary chorus quickly follows, seeming to send out a warning. It’s a chilling blend. The noise drops out once, and then gives way to an eerie machine-like drone. It comes in and out of focus, as if you’re fighting to stay on the surface. Only 49 seconds into 31 Knots’ EP: Polemics, and it’s all you can do to try to stay alive.

This Portland band bounces from genre to genre on its newest release, never content to stay in one spot. “Sedition’s Wish” starts out far more contemporary with its up and down, scattering bass line and slick high-hat/snare combo. This familiarity is short-lived as you crash head-on with static guitar fuzz and a whirlwind of clamorous drums. The song closes with soft, reverberant keys and a winding guitar lick.

“Vanish” is a real toe-tapper, giving you a can’t-miss acoustic cadence, accompanied by the album’s best lyrics: “They will never trust us/just like we don’t trust/those who trespassed/and trespass against us.” They mix in a scattering of snares, and we’ve got ourselves a standout cut. “Black Ship Auction” was my personal favorite, sounding like a moodier, more sullen version of the The Walkmen. The album’s closer, “Endless Days,” comes across like a missing section of a Godspeed You! Black Emperor song, bringing back that ghastly machine-like drone. All and all, it’s worth your time.