With the feel of a desperate man at his breaking point, beseeching an immeasurable abyss, Weekend’s debut 10-inch EP is a considerable needle to thread though the ear. Though fuzz inadequately describes the level of distortion on the guitars, Weekend’s hypnotic noise-rock owes much to A Place to Bury Strangers and the traditions of My Bloody Valentine and Yo La Tengo, but imbues the complexity of that shrill, droning musical style with the tender naïveté of best of saccharine pop melody.

Rocking back and forth like a hand on a cradle, “All American” opens up the EP with equal parts penetrating guitar and a lulling rhythm and melody line. It has the soothing quality of falling asleep with your head next to an open window in a car speeding down the highway. As the song progresses and the guitars layer, Weekend creates an intricate space of almost white noise in which the listener may wander about. There is much to explore in the delicate layers of texture, while a disembodied voice continuously ask us where we are going.

Flipping over, “Youth Haunts” opens up with a piercing squeal that rang through my apartment, startling me and waking the neighbor’s baby. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy. With a driving melody like pistons slamming, “Youth Haunts” ebbs and flows like an elaborate sea of noise. Between the two I’d say this is my favorite. Though both have a lot to offer, “Youth Haunts” has wraith-like eeriness to it with several lovely different sounds to seek out in each listen.

Permeated with tangible chills, Weekend’s EP is certainly not for the faint of heart. Layered in textures of fuzz and distortion, this EP offers as much as it asks from the listener and should be a part of any noise-connoisseur’s collection.

-Ada Lann

Weekend's debut 10-inch can be purchased here from Mexican Summer. Download cards are available with purchase.