Opus Kink 'Til The Stream Runs Dry

Opus Kink’s new EP 'Til The Stream Runs Dry launches with a lush instrumental lift-off, ‘Into The Stream,’ building tension for the true sonic adventure that we are about to experience. It then bursts into ‘I Love You, Baby’, which opens with upbeat and rocky guitar rhythms, leading into growling IDLES-esque vocals with swooning jazz moments. The meandering brass and rich chaos establish an untamed feel, which is maintained throughout the EP.

‘Dog Stay Down’ hosts a cacophony of hushed vocals before snapping into smooth yet snarling jazz, while also slowly developing into a wonderful breakdown of howls and cries. This animalism is carried into ‘St. Paul of the Tarantulas,’ which features the weirdly refreshing quirk of the barks accompanying the story within the song, and eventually breaking into a fun electric recreation of the classic Tarantella Napoletana.

‘(I’m Going Down To That) Hole In The Ground,’ mocks diehard patriotism with its screams of “This one’s for the motherland / I will never fail you,” as the brass and sharp synths swell to a climax. ‘The Unrepentant Soldier’ at first feels like a classic ‘indie’ track, but soon proves you wrong with a rush of shocking screams breaking into a trumpet solo – a standout moment.

We end with the title track: raw, with an acoustic guitar and quietened trumpet, emphasising the sombre lyric: “I don’t wanna die.” The explosion of this track’s sound into intense madness is legendary, the repetition of “I will be happy” feeling like a painful affirmation.