Leeds quartet Wintermute have been a band I’ve promised time and time again to check out. Because of this, I jumped at the opportunity to review the bands new EP ‘Fun With Wizard Stencils’ and by no means did it leave me disappointed. Being together for four years now, the band excel in churning out atmospheric indie rock with a pinch of pop and punk attitude that propels them away from the mass population of new British bands.

‘Fun With Wizard Stencils’ is an infectious CD that has a degree of post rock credentials to its sound which tends to see each song build into an epic closure. The music contains a vast range of sound that not once sounds crammed together and untidy, which shows Wintermute have put a lot of time and effort into their writing. Songs such as ‘Dead Or Not He Was Wearing Sunglasses’ and ‘Spanish Girls’ take many different directions with glimpses of battering drums and heavy guitar work before hitting you with a catchy chorus that will be lodged in your head for a considerable amount of time. Most British indie bands vocalists tend to sound pretty much the same which is another area where Wintermute distance themselves from their peers. Dan Howard sings each song with empathy and with a sense of rush which makes songs like ‘Emerald Hill Zone Act 2’ and ‘Jambon! Jambon!’ sound like they were recorded in a room with a time bomb.

Awesome indie rock, pop tinged guitar hooks, punk charisma and an uncanny sense of urgency are all the elements that make this EP a truly awesome listen. By the time the closing track finishes you somewhat find yourself connected to the music, it only took me one listen before I nurtured an unhealthy addiction to this short-but-sweet EP. If you are a fan of post rock, indie, or good music in general then get your hands on this EP, it certainly is a fun listen.

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