The Famines

Edmonton two-piece the Famines have kept it so quiet that they seem to have come out of nowhere, but the reality is that they are made-up of the Vertical Struts' Raymond Biesinger on bass and vocals, and Garrett Kruger, of beloved post-hardcore band the Wolfnote, on drums. The Black Sea, their debut four-song EP, comes as a lovingly packaged double seven-inch, complete with a 26-page booklet (Biesinger is also a talented graphic designer). Musically, the band keep up with the best, inhabiting a unique hybrid of vintage garage, punk and noise that is unpretentious but not straightforward. As a duo, they've perfected quiet-loud dynamics in order to maximize the diversity of their instruments and never losing interest throughout the four songs. This is a promising debut from an equally promising band, and it's also available on eight-track, if you were wondering.