KHARTOUM – ‘Some Days’ [EP] [Album Review]

London three-piece alternative rock band KHARTOUM introduces their new EP, Some Days, via the label Young Poet Records.

Produced by the band and mixed by multi-Grammy-winning engineer Eduardo De La Paz, KHARTOUM cites influences such as Wolf Alice, Sunflower Bean, Primal Scream, and Death From Above 1979. After playing their first live show at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the band has performed throughout London, including a residency at Laylow.

KHARTOUM has been featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday, Hot New Bands (x5), Fresh Finds, All New Rock, and Shockwave and has been championed by BBC Radio 1 (Gemma Bradley), BBC Introducing (Live Session & Interview) CLASH, The Line of Best Fit, Wonderland, and Dork, as well as performing at Latitude Festival and Glastonbury.

Some Days encompasses four tracks, beginning with “I Was Born,” which opens on a crunching drum shuffle and grimy guitars pushing out visceral textures. Edgy vocals imbue the lyrics with risky flavors, while on the chorus, resonant harmonies fill the tune with dangerous tones.

“Ten People” rides a fat, rumbling bassline and tight percussion as angsty vocals give the lyrics evocative post-punk aromas. Hints of punk-lite run through the song, along with radiant, almost dream-pop harmonies.

Perhaps the best track on the EP, “Chromosomes,” pulsates with pushing guitars and shimmering vocals.

KHARTOUM

According to KHARTOUM:

“‘Chromosomes’ is a song about self-reflection. How well do we actually know ourselves? Does human nature decide our fate or will nurture play a hand in determining our destiny? We wrote it in various stages across about a year – the verses and guitar parts were all there from the beginning, but the chorus took a second to find. After all that, we finally finished it by going through and removing any elements that didn’t need to be there, trying to make it as direct as possible.”

The EP closes with the title track, a blend of funk, hints of surf rock, and thick alt-rock. Dirty guitars exude dense, growling tones as drawling, cutting vocals infuse the lyrics with a sneering Cheap Trick-like attitude.

With Some Days, KHARTOUM parades their gift for modern-laced alt-rock spiced with retro tangs from the ’70s.

Some Days Track Listing:

1. I Was Born
2. Ten People
3. Chromosomes
4. Some Days

Run Time: 11:25
Release Date: June 17, 2022
Record Label: Young Poet Records