An EP is an odd entity. A single exists entirely on its own, relying on its own merit to portray the story it intends to tell. An Album, on the other hand, relies on every track to act as an extension of the tracks around, to blend together and create one cohesive unit. An EP exists in that odd space between a single and an album. It has to have the cohesion of an album but cannot afford to have one of its tracks fail to succeed when singled out. Some EPs fail to find its cohesive footsteps despite being filled with brilliant cuts, while are too cohesive to even single out one track from the other.

Where Now From Here, the latest release from Cable Street Collective, falls slightly into the second category but manages to save itself by sheer charisma. The EP’s production is its biggest problem. It is not bad by any means, instead, it fails to vary from the stuttering and skipping combination of synth and instruments that is evidenced across its 5 tracks. The closest it comes to variety is on ‘Anyway’, the EP’s centre track and its highlight. Initially slowing down to a slow beat before ramping up to a similar speed to the rest of the EP, the track is allowed to stand out from its counterparts, and stand out it does. The track is raw and vulnerable that showcases the vocals of lead singer ____, and the incredible lyricism that is displayed across Where Now From Here, especially on ‘So We Go’, where clever writing fabulously blends with the equally clever production and vocal performance to create a sense of a fast-paced life.

Unfortunately, the strong lyrics and vocals aren’t enough to create enough of a distinctiveness around the remaining three tracks on the EP. ‘Nobody Smokes Any More’ and ‘The Very Best’ suffer greatly from near homogeneous productions. ‘Wonderland’, while close manages to avoid becoming lost in the derivative instrumentals of the EP’s more close cuts.

Overall, despite its cohesion issues, Where Now From Here is a fabulous exhibition of the tremendous talent that the Cable Street Collective possesses.

Check out the Cable Street Collective’s latest video below: