And they said it couldn’t be done – wait, no they didn’t. Not about these guys. Not once. Since the fateful day Adebisi Shank announced their hiatus, people were casting spells, doing sacrifices, and screaming to the heavens hopes of a reunion, because no one ever really hit the spot quite like Shank. But over a decade later, it finally happened.
First, the band strutted back into the ring with “Start a Band,” which harkened to literally their first EP in terms energy and the chunky, organic punch. You could put it on shuffle with most of their discography and it would fit in perfectly, which, when you consider the time it’s been, seems almost impossible. Yet here we are.
Then came the next single, “Orange Spash,” which has a super on-point cameo from Yvette Young where she uses her more modern techniques to compliment the song’s Sonic-does-acid-and-adventures vibe. It also really took us back to the groovy themes of their second album, which to this day is entirely unique in how it approached futuristic sounds and heady post-punk nostalgia. So really, both singles were exciting, because it seemed to tease the general idea that the band wasn’t just aware of the magic that made them unique, but that they could still tap into it as well.
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With the whole thing officially out, we’re overjoyed to say the band’s second EP, in its entirety, is exactly as fans dreamed of. It bleeps, bloops, and hula hoops with the best of anything from their second or third albums, but brings the grit of that first EP back into focus.
“Gröss Magic,” bound to be a fan favorite, ticks all of these boxes, and also reminds us of guitarist Las Kaye’s old Soundcloud project from 2012. Hearing that house-friendly, loop-driven production in the background of what still feels like a perfectly organic Adebisi Shank was an unexpected highlight that we’ll be revisiting daily for some time.
Equally as cool is the EP’s closer, “Turtle Island.” You’d think that with a title like that this would be one of those chill little numbers they typically tack on at the end of their records, but it’s actually closer to a wrecking ball swinging through band practice, and it’s one hell of a sendoff. We can’t pretend to know the future, and we don’t want to burden the band with any kind of expectations, but damn – it sure feels like the boys are back in town. In an age of very little hope indeed, new, high-quality Shank is just what the doctor ordered.
This is The Second EP of a Band Called Adebisi Shank, and you need it in your ear holes, immediately.
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