Phantom Phuzz, the newest six song release from Cooler, comes as a follow up to their hard-hitting EP 1993 released last September. From beginning to end, it’s easy to hear growth in musicality from the local four-piece.

The EP opens with a haunting post-rock influenced jam that does its job setting the tone for what follows. Dynamics and harmony between male and female vocals is this EP’s strong suit. The conscious approach to bringing out each lead vocalist’s natural abilities  is evident. I’m a huge fan of Run For Cover Records’ shoegaze all-stars, Pity Sex, who Cooler reminds me a lot of. But in contrast to them, it’s really nice to hear deliberately crisp vocals paired with all the fuzz. It amplifies the melodic hooks and adds a whole new element of charm to each tune. “Days”, the second track on the EP and also my favorite, is the best illustration of this.

In celebration of the release, Cooler will be headlining Nietzsche’s tonight. The bill also includes That Naturalists, slowshine, and Hundred Plus Club. Music starts at 9pm. Check the event page for more info.