LASTELLE, Exist Vol. 1 EP - 2024

Okay, look, I'll admit it. When my girls are down for the night, I have a tendency to doom-scroll on social media. Mainly on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube (because apparently I'm a "boomer"), but eventually I make my way into the infamous TikTok. The app that began as a lip-syncing video app for kids that replace the beloved Musical.ly in 2018. Now days, depending on your rank algorithm, you'll see everything from politics to preachers, cars and animals, and even some STEM content. In the last year, the app has been overrun with shop content, making every other video feel like an infomercial. (There is a lot of controversial content to be found on that app, but that's a different post altogether. Please don't let your kids use social media unsupervised.) However, every now and then I am offered a video about a book that makes for a great reading suggestion, or a band posts a video that makes me immediately go find their music. Tonight happened one such event.

As I was doom-scrolling, I happened across a video that looked like a familiar scene. It looked like a band practice, and I, being one for nostalgic things, stopped and watched. What caught my attention was the voice coming out of my screen from the drummer of the band, LASTELLE. I'm a big fan of drummers who can sing because if you can keep time and sing pretty, then you really have something going on. I quickly realized that I was going to like the song simply because it's my favorite genre, post-hardcore. (Deal with it, okay.) And that's all it was. It looked like a closed, live set, featuring music that my eardrums prefer. So, I did what every respectable social media lurker does, I like the video, subscribed to the channel, and left a comment.

"I got goosebumps, so now I'm gonna go figure out how I can buy this!" is what I wrote in the comments section. Then, I did just that. Hey, I told you up top that I'm a boomer. I like to own the music, and I like physical media when I can get it. In this case though, I had to settle for digital. I quickly found their newest EP called, Exist Vol. 1 on iTunes and paid a measly $5.50 for the six-song short list. It's just over 20 minutes long, and I wasn't ready for it. I don't remember if I've ever written about this before, and I'm not going to go into details about it now, but music is colors to me. Especially if it evokes emotion. I literally see auras of color as I'm listening to music. No, not all music, and it's not only music that can cause it, but that's all I'm sharing about it because this EP kicked off some vibrant auras right away. These six songs have just made me laugh and cry and smile ear to ear. I loved it in its entirety.

That's my review. It's simple, it's short, and it's honest. Give this a listen if you're a fan of the genre.

A little more. Most music I love is purple and blue. This EP was vibrantly purple and blue of many hues, but there was a brightness, like a white woven throughout that felt like it was pulling me through the textures and undertones that were the catalyst of the emotions I felt. Maybe it just caught me at the right time, which is something I'll test by listening again tonight, and again later in the week. Sometimes I think we need an influence, and there's no better influence for me than music. Maybe I just caught wind of a new favorite, or perhaps I've just doom-scrolled enough to give TikTok a perfect reference for the kind of music I prefer.

Here are some standouts, but it's really a no-skip EP. (It's only 20 minutes!)

The EP begins with a soulful wail in Pine. It's a short song at 2:42, but it's beautiful. It perfectly leads us into this post-hardcore selection and sets the tone for the record. This is one where you'll hear the vocal talents across the board. For those reading who don't like the "screamo" genre, this is a good example of what we like about it. Yes, at times the vocals can sound aggressive, but the musicality is peaceful and emotional.

Breathe Me In pulls at your heart, much like the post-harcore Christian songs of the early 2000s that I grew up listening to. This song felt so familiar to me. Remember the nostalgia I mentioned? A lot of it came from this track. This is likely due to my teenage years spent jamming with my best friends and my brother, learning every song we could that would help us craft our own sound. I was particularly drawn to this kind of music. Lyrically, the song is about a fading love. In my mind, however, it mustered feelings of longing for companionship with friends (best friends) who've fallen out of touch. So, if you're reading this, let's fix that.

The very next track, Changes with the Seasons, feels like the anthem on this EP. It's a perfect song to use as an example of what this EP offers, or even what this band, LASTELLE sounds like. Following Breathe Me In, it's the second longest song on the record, and it pairs so well to drive home the emotional value of the music. This track has some really interesting textural elements going on throughout it. They are in the higher register, but it almost makes you feel like you're on a spaceship watching a dying star explode. (Been there, done that...)

Wrapping up the EP, In Unison leaves you wanting more, and it does this playing on the melody from the previous song. I absolutely love when bands do this. Again, I tend to be one that buys music, so I also tend to listen to albums in their entirety. These themes make you stay connected to the music, and it offers a little bit of insider information that only those who listened track to track would know. It threads two pieces of music together, and it always tickles my brain. This track is where the EP leaps from good to great in my opinion, and with it being named Exist Vol. 1, I am excited for a Vol. 2 or a full LP.

At this point I've listened to the album twice, and it's lovely. Though, I couldn't find a physical copy to purchase, I did visit the band's website, and purchased an autographed zine. I really wanted something I could call back to about this album. I wasn't expecting this on a Sunday night, but hey, can't hurt to head into Monday on a high note, right? Actually, when I was a little over halfway through my first listen, after I'd already bought the album, I went back to TikTok, found the video I'd commented on in my liked videos from my profile page, and left a reply comment under the original.

"BTW, that was a great decision. These guys kick ass!"

Thanks for reading. Go listen to some music, nerds.