Seasonal by Old Coke

Throughout 2022 Old Coke gained traction from a set of impressively tight and high-octane live shows that saw them move from playing DIY generator gigs to iconic Chicago venues like Empty Bottle, Bottom Lounge, Sub T and Schubas with bands such as Ringo Deathstarr, Gleemer, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, and Slow Crush to name a few.

Their debut EP Sorted has already clocked praise from revered underground publications Cvlt Nation and New Noise Magazine who will be premiering the first single “Vapor Drunk” on April 13th.

“Seasonal” is their most emotionally charged and musically ambitious project to date. A journey that weaves between lovers and loss, where tracks such as ‘Coffee Eyes’ are about doing psychedelics with a girlfriend in lockdown, ‘Suntinged’ reflects on a California summer heartbreak, and ‘Vapor Drunk’ being a light love letter in song form”

The percussion on the EP was once again recorded by Joe Gac of the Chicago indie band Meat Wave, mixed by Zac Montez who’s worked with acts such as Cloakroom and Whirr, and mastered by Gleemer's Corey Coffman, who has recorded an impressive list of the West Coast shoegaze’s finest including Modern Color, Soft Blue Shimmer and Milly.

On percussion, drummer Ethan Toenjes beats away the nuanced fills with stylistic percussion at a feverish pace. Guitarist/vocalist Christopher Ruiz's loud and emotive songwriting riffs on future nostalgia, romance and human connection. At the same time, his melancholic vocals balance the big guitar tone and colourful chords with aggression and thrashiness found in heavier genres.

The name was inspired by bottles of Coke modified by contemporary Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles on display at the London Tate Modern that hid political statements on the bottles, one of which taught civilians how to make Molotov cocktails.

Their debut EP, "Sorted", echoed Old Coke's anarchic-inspired moniker by seeing the band's multi hyphenated talents run at full throttle."Seasonal" continues this along with the varied sonic range of shoegaze, dream pop, punk and noise rock, but this time with an emphasis on showcasing production quality that would have cost thousands back in the 90's. Old Coke has quickly evolved and leveled up their technically dynamic and energetic live performances in 2023, and it's clear with this release that they have no plans to stop. ~Tracy Kawalik