somesurprises show some krautrock clout on their new EP.
somesurprises show some krautrock clout on their new EP. Chris Schmoeckel

somesurprises, "Alt" (Doom Trip)

Seattle's somesurprises has morphed from guitarist/vocalist Natasha El-Sergany's solo project to a duo with guitarist Josh Medina to a quartet with bassist Emma Danner (Red Ribbon) and drummer Nico Sophiea (Dangerknife). For their new EP on Doom Trip, on which "Alt" appears, Brenan Chambers [Jetman Jet Team, Plant Lab] and Patrick Latham help out on synth and piano, respectively.) With these additions, somesurprises have evolved into one of the city's most mesmerizing bands.

The three-track Alt EP (which came out yesterday) reflects somesurprises' desire to ease out of the hazy, Mazzy Star-like reveries heard on 2017's Serious Dreams cassette and embrace a more vibrant and even more blissful strain of space-rock. These songs were recorded during the same sessions as tracks that will compose somesurprise's forthcoming LP, which is due out in 2019. But it's on the 9:23 instrumental "Alt" where the major change happens, as somesurprises shift into a motorik groove that bustles down a dark highway with a steely vengeance. Taking cues from krautrock pioneers Neu! and their excellent acolytes in Stereolab, somesurprises gradually intensify the guitar distortions and synth pulsations blooming and criss-crossing over the metronomic rhythm until your brain is one massive, throbbing orb of adrenaline. It's an approach that's been done many times before, but damn if somesurprises don't turn in one of the most sublime krautrock homages Seattle has ever produced.

somesurprises perform Friday, September 28 at Columbia City Theater and Saturday, October 6 at Clock-Out Lounge.