Vietnamese math rock outfit Irihi are back with a second single, but thankfully, this time that’s not all. The band is finally announcing a debut EP with five new songs, expected to drop just over a month from now in January 2026.
Pretty much every element that we loved from “Waiting” is here, but “Covert” actually has a little more in every department. The math parts feel more math-y, the emo and pop parts feels more emo and poppy.
Irihi make it easy to forget that they’re actually only two years old as a band, but they’ve definitely had a clear vision from the start. Check out “Covert” below:
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Here’s more about the song from the English press release as well:
“Following “Waiting” —a song about longing and the search for one’s own existential meaning – “Covert” feels like the soundtrack to the very film about that journey in the lives of irihi and each of its members. The track holds playful, uplifting moments, soaring highs, and quiet dips into loneliness… yet everything remains vibrant and filled with hope.
“Covert” serves as the final stepping stone before irihi officially introduces their debut CD “EP. irihi”, a 5-track release expected in January 2026 — a project the members and drummer bin have carefully crafted over the past three years. The trailer titled Covert will open the door to the emotions, experiences, and growth the band has gone through during their first years pursuing the musical journey called irihi.”
One thing we couldn’t help but notice is the visual continuity, with the first single having the opposite color scheme, or at least a diametrically contrasting one. That’s our fancy way of saying one is blue and one is red, but it’s not so much the color we noticed so much as the style itself, which lends this nostalgic, almost hopeful quality not dissimilar to what you feel from the band’s music. If you’re looking for fresh, emotive tunes from Vietnam with bits of emo, math, and post-rock, be sure to keep an eye on Irihi.
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