Ondine - Exhausted

Labels: Polar Summer Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 10 Aug 2017

Tracklist:

1. Exhausted

2. Denial And Rejection

3. Chained

4. Decay

I'm jumping back into the back catalogue of Russian label Polar Summer Records after what seems like an age. Since my last review of the two-song self-titled EP from Saat, I've been lucky enough to add a number of the label's releases to my personal collection thanks to a very gracious seller on Discogs. I managed to get a copy of this very EP on tape much earlier though.

Russia's Ondine released this EP digitally and on tape back in 2017. They went on to release a second EP called Recycled in 2018, but haven't been heard of since. What's striking to me is that they are made up of member from Ensslin, Buran and If I Die Tomorrow, especially because Ensslin made such an impact on me when I first heard Thumbsucker. Enough about other bands though, let's focus on this EP.

Ondine are described as being a punk/melodic hardcore band and you’d be forgiven for wondering if that was true on EP opener ‘Exhausted’, as it starts with spoken-word samples and orderly instrumentation that builds up to a point where Ondine are able to show their heavier side. ‘Denial And Rejection’ is where Ondine’s melodic hardcore influence shows through. Their melodic approach to instrumentation coupled with a mix of English spoken-word/screaming is genuinely rousing, making it easy to think they could be from anywhere in the world. 

Musically, this is a beautiful release. It has a feel/sound that’s very similar to early La Dispute (I think) and that’s no bad thing as ‘Chained’ flows through a mid-paced journey that speaks louder than you’d expect. Closing with ‘Decay’, Ondine retreat into more ambient/instrumental territory where the firework-like sounds in the background are both endearing and also slightly unnerving. 

Ondine wrote a beautiful EP here. One that gives hope to humanity, which I’m sure they would agree with. In a time when UK politicians (or ex-politicians at least) are quite rightly being found guilty of accepting bribes to talk up an oppressive/communist regime, at least we can rejoice in music like this.

You can stream and purchase this EP as a name-your-price download from Ondine below:-

Tape copies from Polar Summer are sold out.

Polar Summer Records - https://polarxsummer.bandcamp.com/album/exhausted