This new instalment of SPLAT ATTACK! is more than just a compilation of bands; it’s a vivid snapshot of a scene full of energy and female talent. R*E*P*E*A*T brings together four female-fronted bands from South Wales (Spwci, Sold For Parts, Hairdye and flatcat) on this red and black 10″ splatter vinyl. And that’s exactly what comes through: energy, DIY attitude and an underground scene that is making plenty of noise and clearly in rude health.
The EP opens with Spwci‘s “I Don’t Know”, a compact burst of ’90s indie/alternative rock with a riot grrrl edge. It has the rough-edged melody of The Breeders and a touch of British post-punk that brings Goat Girl to mind. The guitars sound raw, almost garage-like; the drums get straight to the point, and the bass keeps the tension up without taking anything away from the song’s immediacy. The vocals, somewhere between carefree and tense, don’t over-dramatise the uncertainty of the lyrics; instead, they deliver it with a mix of weariness, irony and contained anger. Much of the charm of “I Don’t Know” lies in that combination of catchy melody and lo-fi roughness: dry, biting and full of punch.
On “Charity Shop”, Sold For Parts blend sharp post-punk with riot grrrl tension: clean, repetitive guitars, a driving rhythm section that sits somewhere between motorik and organic, and spoken-sung vocals that move through breaks, repetitions and memories. There’s something of Dry Cleaning in the anxious observations, and a hint of Hole in the emotional distortion, with a pop hook buried beneath the rough edges. The charity shop becomes an archive of clothes, memories and other people’s lives that still seem to carry weight.
With Hairdye, the sound brightens without losing its punk spirit. “Eden’s Garden” mixes pop-punk, garage pop and riot grrrl attitude in a song built around a clear structure, a driving riff and a chorus that sticks. While the lyrics play with forbidden desire (the Garden of Eden, the forbidden fruit, love as a drug), the song itself never sinks into darkness; instead, it turns obsession into an infectious sing-along. There are echoes of The Regrettes in its blend of pop melody and punk attitude, and a touch of Bikini Kill‘s audacity in the way it frames desire as defiance. It has sweetness, but it certainly isn’t short on attitude.
The closing track, flatcat‘s “Tender”, is the slowest and most immersive moment on the EP. Here, urgency gives way to a slow, hazy drift somewhere between shoegaze and slowcore. Rather than relying on riffs, the guitars create a sense of pull and movement, expanding little by little and gradually enveloping the song until it reaches an almost hypnotic state. The vocals blend into the soundscape as just another part of the landscape. “Tender” brings the EP to a gradual close, with dense guitars and ethereal vocals floating alongside the music.
SPLAT ATTACK! doesn’t try to make these bands sound the same. Instead, it lets each one occupy its own space, while showcasing the undeniable talent coming out of South Wales. There’s dry alt-rock, theatrical post-punk, pop-punk with riot grrrl attitude and slow-motion shoegaze. Yet despite their differences, the four bands share a certain energy: four distinct voices, all making noise within the same scene and all very much saying Fuck the Splattriarchy!
Find more here!: R*E*P*E*A*T Records | Spwci | Sold For Parts | Hairdye | flatcat