New year. New you. New perspective. New ambitions. The endless list of what a change of time does to the mind and soul. Though sometimes it’s not as easy as you think to see things through as you think. Focus begins to wane and motivation slowly withers. What is needed is a kick up the arse and a point of inspiration to keep you chugging through whatever life has to throw at you. Luckily Holy Roar have come up trumps with their first release of the year from the brilliant Pijn and their ambitious and enthralling debut EP. Trust us, this is a game changer.

Delicately deceiving and brutally raw, the sheer depth of the music Pijn write is what makes ‘Floodlit’ the masterpiece that it is. Jumping from twinkling post-rock interludes into desolating passages of ferocious metal can be tricky business if not given the upmost respect and level of care. Pijn have got that down to a tee.

Their debut EP is a sprawling mass of inspiration and emotion. It’s a journey from the darkest corners of your mind to the very tips of your tenderness. An all-consuming 20 minutes of music that will drive you to the limits of your creativity with its technicality and ambition. The piercing ambience of ‘Hazel’, and the shimmering texture and heartbreaking atmosphere of ‘Lacquer’ especially make for a richly layered and gorgeously engrossing listen.

Pijn are a special band. One who should be nurtured and cared for. One who have the ability to write music that sticks with you for the rest of your life. To create such brutally affecting music on your first release is nothing short of astounding and for it to take on the shapes, colours and emotions that ‘Floodlit’ manages is even more inspiring. Listen to this, now.

4.5/5

‘Floodlit’ EP by Pijn is released on 27th January Holy Roar Records.

Pijn links: Facebook | Twitter

Words by Jack Rogers (@JackMRog)