EP REVIEW: alright (okay) - Decent (Fine)

Alright (okay) have been around since 2021, since the release of their debut single ‘Coffee’. Since then, their style and sound, and presence in the local music scene has flourished. They are now known across Liverpool for their energetic live shows, praise deemed unsurprising upon listening to their latest EP ‘Decent (Fine)’. The opening track, largely instrumental, introduces you to the sonic direction of the project, opening with mysterious guitar melodies, before being intercepted by a distorted riff that launches the EP into a faster pace. It’s in the closing sixty seconds of the track when we first hear vocals, shouted and stressed, seeping in Post-Punk tradition. 

Photo Credit: @florintein

The rest of the project follows suit, the vocal delivery not unlike early Black Country, New Road tracks. There is a danger to fast Post-Punk tracks such as these in that they run the risk of sounding messy in their grittiness, but alright (okay) avoid this, marrying grit with sonic togetherness, combining the dissonant with the enticing, a powerful backdrop to vocals that exude an addictive angst. The crunchy ambience of guitar feedback is a tool the band harnesses, unapologetically loud. It has flavours of the experimental, but is a rewarding listen, marking alright (okay) as an important band to keep an eye on.