Released May 1, 2024. Available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music
Hoist is a self-described “One man punk band from Oslo, Norway.” Shallow Underground, is their second release – seven high-energy songs packed in just under thirteen minutes.
This album could almost be called powerpop or pop punk, but it definitely veers on the side of pure punk or even garage punk. There is an organ in the mix in this album, and it works really well along with the guitar.
The arrangements in general are really tightly wound. Most of the instrumentation is deceptively simple, but there are lots of changes and flourishes throughout many of the songs that betray the fact that there is some real talent at work in there.
The best track picks on this album would be “I Know It’s Raining”, “Just Walk Straight,” and “Fucking North Pole”. This whole album is a great listen, and goes by way too fast.
Hoist has clearly done something great in Shallow Underground. Not everyone can cram so much energy in such a short amount of a runtime, but this album manages to do it.