Angel Du$t - YAK: A Collection Of Truck Songs

What initially began as a creative offshoot from members of Turnstile and Trapped Under Ice has now taken on a life of its own, as the creative collective Angel Du$t. ‘YAK…’ is lyrically concerned with the mundanity of real life and exploring the beauty within ordinary routine. It captures a warming familiarity through its ballad-driven tracks, slamming snares and leisurely pace, collating the idiosyncrasies of heavy music with the vestige of ’90s college rock. Paired with super-producer Rob Schnapf (FIDLAR, Kurt Vile), the Baltimore group tap into elements of surf rock, slacker indie and upbeat country, sometimes dipping their toes (‘Dancing On The Radio’ feat. Rancid’s Tim Armstrong) and other times diving deep (‘Yak’). There is a heavy focus on the rhythmic backbone of their songs, melodically supported by xylophone chimes, loose string sections and wavering guitar solos, not to mention Justice Tripp’s matter-of-fact delivery floating easily above the calculated instrumentation. You can almost hear the blueprints of a careering hardcore track in ‘No Vacancy’, presenting Angel Du$t as a band that knows what they can do well, but wish to create a new, more approachable ‘hardcore’ with their wealth of experience. ‘Fear Some’ uses a tuned tom and piano stabs to stray into pop-punk territory while ‘Yak’ verges on a radiant fanfare, complete with brimming horns and euphoric strings. On the flipside ‘Love Is The Greatest’ perfectly captures Justice’s candid delivery and ability to create simple-yet-moving vignettes. ‘YAK…’ is an unmistakable labour of hardcore love, fused by friendship and a combined lifetime of musical experience. All hail the renaissance of pleasantly short albums and the flourishing diversification of modern hardcore. Long live Angel Du$t.