The first of the plethora of Glaswegian outfits we’ve worked with here at Record Weekly was Static Satellites. And while we’ve had the chance to review plenty of their prior singles, today, the tempo turns up a few notches and all the giddiness is unleashed, as they’ve finally released their debut EP.

‘As The Dark Unfolds’ is a four-track masterpiece that goes through the alt-rock/indie-rock motions, with melancholic elements and much heavier twists, too. ‘Fortify’, the EP opener, and ‘By The Way’, which rounds everything off, cocoon the two previously dropped singles. And these unheard offerings are captivating pieces that cushion the familiar two belters oh-so well. 

The reflective yet uplifting nature of ‘The Symphony’ still makes it a standout track, and those echoes of Augustines and Band of Horses, as aforementioned here, persist, pleasurably. You’ll also recall the gentle sways of the indie-style melody gluing ‘Smokescreens’ together — another song that demonstrates the band’s instrumental deftness. And I stand by the claim I made here that they could propel themselves towards stardom, just as local-to-them lads, The Snuts, have done. 

But if we turn to the hot-off-the-press material on the EP, the punchy drumming and cool, collected riffs that draw our ears in on ‘Fortify’ are quite something. It’s another indie-rock anthem, with scorching vocals that retain the outfit’s Scottish heritage. It sounds so refined, too, which I suppose is to be expected after the hours that have gone into producing and mixing in Mark Morrow’s Edinburgh studio. 

The perpetuating wistfulness on ‘By The Way’ gives the song a darker edge. It’s a sort of noisier piece but still has those solid harmonies underpinning everything Static Satellites do.

So, all in all, it’s an entirely triumphant full release for these chaps. Listen now on Spotify and SoundCloud, and follow all their footsteps on Facebook and Instagram.