Capitol is an indie outfit hailing from Hamilton, Ontario that should be a perfect match for post-punk/dream pop fans. The band’s first release was in 2017, and through those years they’ve been honing and weaving their complex sound. Their debut LP Dream Noise was released in October of 2019, and due to their skill in harnessing the multi-faceted nuances of the genre their listeners have been steadily growing ever since. With influences like the Cure, New Order and the technicality of My Bloody Valentine distinctly present in their work, it’s not hard to see why, although we still think that number isn’t high enough. Their latest EP All the Rest of My Heads is nothing short of brilliant, an intricate four-track that wonderfully encompasses the range of textures and emotions in post-punk, goth and dream pop. It’s a record that left us wanting for more and has urged us to share it with our audience (and everyone within shouting range).
Opener “Manos” is the most technical song in the EP. Filled with washed out noise and restless rhythms, this dark, poetic ode culminates a textural whirlwind of guitar and synths blending together marvelously from the half-point to the end. “Always Saying Nothing” follows with a dream pop gentleness that’s almost a complete 180 of what came before. Glimmering riffs and bright vocals create a romantic atmosphere, but it’s dense lyrics weave itself into something else. It’s narrator speaks with a frantic, nervous tone, capturing the exciting yet terrifying notion of wanting someone to like you in the initial phase of a relationship while trying not to mess things up.
The next half of the EP presents a more subdued tone, which speaks to the range and capability of Capitol to switch gears in a pinch. “Smashing” is cool and delicate to the touch, with synths and riffs layered like strands of silk to weave a precious bolt of cloth. “Moths All Around Me” closes the EP with an otherworldly psych twist. Running at 6 minutes, twice the length of its peers. The band percolates this idea of running into love while being cautious of the flame it presents. A song where the balance of the dreamy and the nightmarish can easily be tipped, making it all the more exciting.
Capitol just added themselves into our ever-growing list of bands to look out for. If they keep this up it’s only a matter of time before this promising group pops off! Check them out below and let us know what you think.
