This Hisses

It's important to note that Winnipeg native's This Hisses are a group with tremendous amounts of skill, which they use to create fulfilling and exciting surf rock that fills their debut LP, Surf-Noir. The drumming and guitar playing are exquisite; they can transform a track that once simmered into a mass of reverb and cymbal crashes. Yet so much of this group's sound is indebted to vocalist/bassist Julia Ryckman's opera-trained voice, which travels between haunting bellows and a passionate chant. On "Keep What's Good In Your Heart," Ryckman filters Patti Smith through her vocal chords to create a stellar display of vocal control. Album highlight "Swagger" is rampant with surf rock themes, yet its tight guitar line and aggressive drumming are reminiscent of Gang of Four in their prime, displaying a rare side of This Hisses. Most of the tracks are either slow-burners or raging surf-rock, which keeps things interesting, allowing the album to flow. Surf-Noir is a stellar release that shows off exactly what This Hisses are capable of creating.