Lowell’s Horse Mode are the ministers ordaining the marriage of two disparate but equally engrossing sounds. Standing at the alter is hardcore/emo dressed all in black, while delicate indie rock frolics down the aisle. The marriage seems destined to fail, but Horse Mode melds the sounds in such a way that you are certain it was meant to be.

In all three tracks of the EP, the instrumentation is jangly, sharp, and darting. If you were to base the EP’s sound on just that, you would think that you’re listening to a record put out by a new, hip indie band fresh from the city. However, the voices of Jason Powers and Joel Gray change that perception immediately. The songs are injected with these potent vocals and lyrics that are much heavier sounding that the light riffs and thumping bass that play behind.

This is particularly exhibited in “Dummy,” which starts off airy and spirited. Once You don’t / have to / make me / feel so stupid are frustratingly belted about 40 seconds into the song, it’s made clear that you’re dealing with a much more complex tune and EP.

Throughout Defenestrator, and especially in “Rogue Genie,” there is a sense that Horse Mode, outside of curating a unique, multifaceted musical style, is combining the past and present—they manage to capture the angst of youth with the more emotionally powered lyrics, while also embracing the artful, intricate indie rock flair that dominates the sound waves of today. What’s left is an edgy yet infectiously melodic creation.