Self-released. Available now on Soundcloud

A chilly air descends on the room and We Came from the North find themselves fighting an uphill battle before things even begin. With a name that evokes images of The North Pole or Canada (“The Great White North” for those who didn’t know), expectations of cold, metallic music are high; a band that plays po-faced and allows self-important detachment to spill into their compositions. Great

Instead, We Came from the North open their new EP with a welcome and loving embrace. So often do post-rock bands strive to meticulously achieve an emotion or mood that the intention becomes forced, and all we’re left with is several minutes of unengaging technical prowess; luckily not here. The relaxed friendliness of We Grew Old Too Soon segues pleasantly into The Listening Post and gently the band begin to explore a darker side, culminating in an apocalyptic final section which brings to mind John Murphy’s In the House – In a Heartbeat. If Hollywood ever needs a new instrumental piece to signify impending doom, this is it.

Things reach a peak with EP highlight Model Homes for a Nuclear Village, which beautifully batters its way through erratic melodies & weighty basslines. It’s as close as the band get to a verse-chorus-verse structure, and this semi-restrained assembly provides five minutes of wonder.

Effectively that’s where the EP ends: all that remains to be discovered is that We Came from the North know a good title (There’s No Such Thing as a Friendly Ghost and Secret Piñata Party). Throughout Low Sun, Long Shadow guitars soar, drums crash, and weeping melodies impressively dance in and out of distortion. Unfortunately it just becomes more of the same. Then again, at least that “same” is – for a short while – something different.