404 Guild - Guild Three: Open Water

As a snapshot in time, or a quick glimpse into what 404 Guild are about, ‘Guild Three: Open Water’ - the outfit’s third EP release - does a pretty damn good job. Each facet of the group’s sound is showcased: there’s bristling menace in stellar opener ‘SHORTWAVE’, which becomes almost industrial in its cacophony. As direct counterpoint, ‘BREATHING ROOM’ is emotionally raw, its repeated lament “she don’t wanna talk about her heart” becoming increasingly more curious as the track weaves on. Previous single ‘Substation’, meanwhile, amps up the peril yet further, while ‘Nice Film’ is almost hypnotic in its subtlety. Where they’re headed sonically next could be from any of these paths, but every which one would remain just as exciting.