If you want to find a record full of thought provoking performances, you should be checking out No Sister’s new self titled. Coming out of Melbourne, No Sister have put together a sound that is uniquely their own, engaging listeners on a multitude of levels.

The composition of these songs seem to be aimed at putting one on edge. The jangly, often dissonant guitar lines create a sonic space that is dark and hazy, and at the same time mystical and fascinating. With an almost industrial vibe, the sound is easy to get lost in. Meanwhile, the driving bass and drums give off the feeling of edgy anticipation, making the songs too slow to be punk, but too energetic to be any kind of straight rock. When the band enters into long instrumental climaxes, as in “Making Wheels Spin (Louder Than Words)”, as well as the intro to “No News from Home”, it gets easy to forget exactly where you are while listening.

Through this wonderful cacophony, the male and female vocals lead you along with spoken poetry. The vocals are delivered in a manner that is usually steely in its resolve, but still captivatingly human. The lyrics are often dark, paralleling their sound, and focus around the monotony and vanity of human nature. With lyrics this dense with vivid imagery, it’s easy to interpret these songs differently every time you listen to the record. “Days are repeating, closed-circuit, no end. Captive in failure, designed.” …an excerpt from “Overpass” that, along with the heavy and droning sound of the song, exemplifies the feel of this album.

No Sister’s self titled EP, is an unstoppable machine that takes the listener on a ride through modern day life, a ride I will gladly take any day.