Louisville trio Wombo—that’s Sydney Chadwick (bass/vocals), Cameron Lowe (guitar) and Joel Taylor (drums)—have established themselves as one of the most interesting and inventive acts in recent times. “Bending post-punk angles with art rock verve,” we wrote of 2021’s Keesh Mountain, the Wombo sound is “taut yet plastic, liable to change direction without warning with a screwy manic charm.” Subsequent releases lived up to this description, be it Fairy Rust with its exploration of the blurry line between reality and dreams or EP Slab, which offered “a picture of a band in constant motion,” as we put it, “always looking to challenge themselves with new directions while nevertheless growing increasingly assured upon the ground they’ve made their own.”
This summer sees Wombo return with Danger in Fives, a brand new full-length again released with Fire Talk Records which promises to further this sense of ambition and unpredictability. Feeling every inch the product of a band nearing ten years together, the album finds the Wombo sound realised in its purest form, combining the experimentation and risk-taking which marked their earlier releases with the growing confidence so evident on Fairy Rust. That is, the sound of project which has come to understand its spirit and ambitions and is now committing to them with total conviction. “Danger in Fives isn’t a reintroduction,” as the press release states. “It’s a reminder.” Listen to the album opener and title track now to whet your appetite, a track built on an ambling momentum, erratic loops and Chadwick’s signature vocals.
Watch the video directed by Cameron Lowe below:
Danger in Fives is out on the 8th August via Fire Talk and you can pre-order it now from the Wombo Bandcamp page.
