Protokoll Protokoll EP

Originally self-released in 2005, the five-song debut EP from Boston’s Protokoll sounds just as relevant today thanks to a reissue from L.A.’s Iheartcomix Records. Combining swift, duelling guitars with straight-up beats, crooning vocals and carefully placed synths, the band resemble Pretty Girls Make Graves, if they were still around, or Bloc Party, if they weren’t so self-serious. "Moving Forward,” the record’s first track, is also its most important, with its insanely catchy guitars and call-and-response vocals. Though nearly six minutes long, the song’s driving rhythm and infectious chorus keep it from getting stale. Similarly, "Sunken” pairs a driving dance beat with irresistible guitar interplay. Meanwhile, "Holy Divine” and "Risen” slowly build on melodic synths to arrive at epic choruses, while "Delicado” closes the EP with a softer touch. Putting equal energy into fantastic musicianship and creative songwriting, Protokoll’s debut EP is an outstanding effort that will leave listeners begging for more. (iheartcomix)

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