Pudgel by Pudgel

Pudgel has released their self titled debut album, an intense and high energy exploration of noisey post punk, art rock, and alternative indie/pop. Dissonant chords immediately grab your attention then lurch into a wonky yet undeniably catchy riff, sliding into moments of psychedelia before snapping back to its frantic thrumming. Each song builds remarkably well, playing with speed, volume, and as a result, instability. As intensity builds, so does a sense of paranoia as spidery guitars and frantic drumming set the stage for panicked vocals, exploring themes like anxiety, societal unease, and lost friendships. Intense punk-skewed sounds give way to subtle yet crisp math rock that then toes its way to a sludgier sound, scraping along and slowing to a halt. Each musical idea establishes itself prominently and confidently before being thrown to the side, this energetic approach leading to an extremely satisfying listen as Pudgel explores a huge array of sounds in its 20-ish minutes.

- Carrie (Outsidenoise.org)