Louse - Small Pleasures EP

Labels: Makeshift Swahili

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: TBA

Tracklist:

1. Small Pleasures

2. Little Jimmy

3. Christian Rat Attack

I nearly got clouted by a giant tree branch on Friday, courtesy of Storm Lilian. Would not recommend. At least I wasn't at Leeds Fest though! Instead, I've been slowly making my way through various new record purchases (from And So I Watch You From Afar, Blind Girls, Blind Monarch, I Haxa, Massa Nera & Quiet Fear, Norna, Piri Reis & Wharflurch) while also trying to keep on top of inbox arrivals, which I'm woefully behind on. One of those arrivals is the brand new EP from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's Louse.

They were brought to my attention by Fionn who used to run the excellent emo/screamo label Rubaiyat Records and now runs Makeshift Swahili, focusing on DIY punk/hardcore/noise-rock. Small Pleasures is a new release containing three songs, while vinyl copies also include Louse's tracks from their 2023 split with The Shits on the b-side.

This is some dirty, punk-fuelled noise at it’s belligerent best. The EP title-track ‘Small Pleasures’ almost has no order whatsoever, except for the groove-laden guitars. Imagine Bloc Party, Throat and Meth Drinker forming a band together. To my ears, this is what it would sound like. 

‘Little Jimmy’ flits between sleazy grunge and intense noise. Slow in tempo but exhilarating in volume. When you ask somebody if they like punk/heavy music and they say “yes I like Blink-182 and Foo Fighters”, this is what you should play them. 

EP closer ‘Christian Rat Attack’ is made up of the reverb and distortion that filled the hallowed pages of Maximum Rock n Roll (if you can imagine such a thing). It’s also the harshest song here vocally, including some epic guitar work and percussion too. 

Ultimately, this EP isn’t going to be for everyone. Louse performs music that’s both dirty and groovy at the same time. They exist on their own plain and that’s absolutely fine.

You can listen to the EP title-track digitally below:-

Louse - https://lousescum.bandcamp.com

Physical copies will soon be available from Makeshift Swahili here - https://makeshiftswahili.bigcartel.com/product/mss007-louse-small-pleasures

Makeshift Swahili - https://makeshiftswahili.bigcartel.com/category/makeshift-swahili