For their second record, Burlington act Robber Robber aimed to get a little weird with it, maybe even a little uncomfortable. Their promising 2024 debut, Wild Guess, already showed the band had a knack for compelling, combustible soundscapes and off-kilter, hypnotic grooves. With Two Wheels Move the Soul“, they fully lean into their most instinctual impulses.
“Two Wheels Move the Soul”, for all of its controlled chaos and sounds that are “defined by a couple pieces of extremely cheap gear that [Robber Robber] value highly,” manages to hold itself together with a warped but consistent internal logic. Some tracks pummel you with repetition and distorted tones, others revel in contradiction, and at least one originates from a structural idea that made the band chuckle. And yet, they all contribute to the record’s overall attitude and impact, ultimately resulting in some of our favourite indie rock tunes of the year so far.
Their promising 2024 debut, “Wild Guess“, had established the band’s knack for compelling, combustible soundscapes and off-kilter, hypnotic grooves. Now, on “Two Wheels Move the Soul”, the band fully leans into their most instinctual impulses, resulting in one of the most impressive indie albums of the year so far.
“We tried to challenge ourselves and make songs that excite us, often starting with ideas that push our comfort zones,” . “When making decisions, we try to steer towards things that make us laugh (out of humour or joy) or make us uncomfortable or make us feel something as opposed to just checking some sort of other box that we’ve imposed on ourselves.”
That outlook was initially previewed via a handful of killer singles, manifesting in the saturated wake-up call that is the opening title track, the ever-mutating instrumental and detached vocals of “Watch for Infection,” and the moody, melodic, methodical “Pieces.” Deeper album cuts only serve to prove that the formula has yet to be exhausted, with tunes like “Avalanche Sound Effect” or “It’s Perfect Out Here in the Sun” being every bit as creative and ear-grabbing.
Robber Robber’s new album, “Two Wheels Move the Soul“, out April 3rd on Fire Talk
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