Brightly Coloured Landscapes is the second EP from progressive post-hardcore band You Win Again Gravity, following on from 2012’s Reflect The Change, and builds on what they started with their debut release.
The introduction of the opener Written Off As Fiction is a little difficult to get into and takes a little while to get going, which is unfortunate because it means the EP doesn’t quite ‘grab’ you as soon as you hit play, but when the harsh vocals kick in, they add a lot more body to the track and that’s when it feels like the song truly begins. They inject life into the piece and really help to move it along, which can only be a good thing.
Subtlety is one of the stronger pieces. Juxtaposed nicely against the more laid-back Written As Fiction, this is nice and noisy, and it’s like the band has morphed into another beast! The sheer energy behind this one is incredible and it’s refreshing to see that the band aren’t afraid of making a release that sees them explore a range of styles.
Closing with the title track Brightly Coloured Landscapes, it’s like one final burst of pure and relentless energy, with the band putting their everything into the track – a fine choice of track to name the EP after. The outro is a nice touch as well, resonating and echoing sounds that slowly fade away into nothing, and is a good ending to a largely satisfying EP. Sure, there are a few creases that need ironing out here-and-there, but it’s a decent release that the band should be proud of and it’ll be interesting to see what’s on the cards when it comes to a full-length album.
7/10
