Ecstatic Sunshine – Freckle Wars (Carpark)

Appropriately named Baltimore duo Ecstatic Sunshine offer short sharp phrases, quick jangly punk riffing that would be finger picking if it wasn’ created by two interconnected electric guitars. There are links to Sonic Youth and John Fahey, though the duo remain electric and don’ indulge in any feedback nonsense. It’s really quite interesting, very stripped back, yet they don’ stop for a minute. It feels like the guitars are actively goading each other in any attempt to win some strange race. The speed of the riffing is quite incredible and the guitars are virtually indistinguishable from each other, both EQ’d thin and jangly. The feel is quite light, almost whimsical, as the duo go about crafting their frenzied maths rock configurations that make you wonder what happened to the rest of the band. It’s strange yet somehow endearing.