EP Review: Boreal by Fake Off

French post hardcore/punk outfit Fake Off release their new EP Boreal on 3^rd February (in the UK) via Lonely Voyage Records. This 5 piece-outfit hailing from northern France drifts in the shallow seas of contemporary post-something tunes. Musical influences come from bands such as Shaï Hulud, Touché Amoré, With Honor, Nine Eleven

Boreal is a sadness-oriented EP, deftly underlaying landscapes and geography metaphors, their music is about self-construction and what a man calls a life, framing all the uncompromising choices of modern society and their struggles.

The emotion contained within the EP shouldn’t be underestimated. Think Four by Touché Amoré and add another layer of raw, visceral emotion and you’ll be on the right track. Couple that with the fact that Fake Off weave the largely post hardcore sound with some excellent post rock guitar playing (most notable on ‘Forest’ and ‘Tundra’) and you’ve got an utterly compelling listen.

There’s not a weak track amongst the five on display here. ‘Prairie’ stands out for the unfathomable amount of emotion packed into three minutes, while ‘Tundra’ adds a sumptuous layer of post rock dynamics for an even bigger emotional punch. ‘Artic’ swirls and bursts in a hedonistic yet deeply sensitive and affecting blistering four minutes.

Prepare yourself for a stern punch to the guts, this is emotive post hardcore with a real impact. Essential listening.

AD Rating 9/10

Get the vinyl here