High Road EP - The Pass

4/7

Made up of Will Roberts, Kyle Peters, Brian Healey and Neil Lucas, The Pass originally “just wanted to be a party band for [them] and [their] friends” according to Roberts’ interview with Never Nervous. But they’ve grown from there. In 2013 The Pass were SXSW in Texas and in 2014 they played at Forecastle in Kentucky. They crank out indie dance music. In 2014 alone they released four 7-inch records. Their newest EP, High Road, released last December, is playful and warm. Recorded at their home studio in Louisville, Kentucky High Road EP has the vibe of 80’s synth-pop summer tunes. Which makes sense, their Facebook's official ‘influences’ are “the 80s with some 70s and 90s + great beats.”

High Roads EP opens up with “Take You Out,” a sweet indie synth number that is a highlight from the EP, talking about showing off a new love on the town. With long fade outs on most of the tracks, High Road EP is built for easy transitions in DJ sets. That being said, the one on “Take You Out” is over 25 seconds which is uncomfortably long if you are just trying to listen to the song. “All the Reasons” has more of a chill wave vibe which takes a calm step back.

The title track “High Road” has a fun groovy that brings back the playful air of the EP. With a beat that draws inspiration from a heartbeat, The Pass sings about heart ache proclaiming that “you still caught me off guard, saying there’s no me and you.” The next track “I Surrender” has a dash of reggae thrown into its synth pop foundation with syncopated rhythms and synth riffs that twinkle down in the back drop of the song adding layers. The final song from the EP is “The Future” which is more rock and dance, wraps up High Road without any synth.

 

See the track list below:

1. Take You Out


2. All The Reasons


3. High Road


4. I Surrender


5. The Future