Based in Minneapolis, USA, Southern Resident Killer Whales are an alternative rock quartet led by frontman Dan Hylton. Joining him are multi-instrumentalists Mark Anderson and Krista Johnson, and guitarist Brian Siegel.

By Graeme Smith

They’re new to our blog courtesy of their seven-track EP Wave Forms which draws from ’80s pop as much as ’90s alt-rock.

The EP opens in timeless style with Artists That Hate Me. Warm guitar pairs nicely with passionate vocals that deliver poetic lyrics. The track broods with an undercurrent of jazz and classic rock while also giving us a modern edge. It’s a strong start.

Play’s the Thing takes things in a laidback direction, putting melody at the fore. Fall Essay then rouses with a soaring chorus. Let It Go provides a chill, storytelling moment with some playful instrumentals while Easy Go lifts the record with a soulful rock number. With Love, Always is raw and emotional before Dreamsong closes the EP with punchy psychedelia. It’s definitely a case of saving the best for last.

It’s the fact that Southern Resident Killer Whales refuse to stick to the established boundaries of pop and rock that makes their new EP so interesting. It feels removed from the passage of time, existing within an as-yet-discovered decade in which the formation of genres coincide. I couldn’t help but feel transported by its seven tracks.

Wave Forms is out on 25 January 2025. The release will be celebrated with a show at 56 Brewing in Minneapolis the same day.