Bummer
Bummer sounds as though Cleopatrick want the guitar and drums to occupy every available corner. The distortion is thick, the rhythms are forceful, and Luke Gruntz's voice often presses against the noise rather than floating above it. The duo make that limited setup exciting through the way they lock together. Their best passages feel like one musical thought being completed by two people.
“VICTORIA PARK” provides an immediate introduction to the scale. Its fuzzy attack has a rough, urgent character, and Ian Fraser's drums keep the changes sharply defined. “THE DRAKE” maintains the pressure with another dominant guitar performance. The music can be almost claustrophobic, but the playing rarely feels loose. The musicians know how to leave a small gap that makes the next entrance more effective.
“FAMILY VAN” is a stronger song because its movement has more room inside it. The hook is clear, and Gruntz's phrasing adds a rhythmic character beyond the usual shouted rock delivery. That is an important feature across the album. Small touches influenced by hip-hop create different ways for the voice to sit against the beat, giving the songs flexibility without forcing in an unrelated rap section. The music remains heavily rooted in guitar noise, but its rhythm is less conventional than that surface might suggest.
The constant density does make some tracks harder to distinguish, and a few riffs offer more impact than development. “2008” is therefore a valuable late change. Its quieter, brooding arrangement allows the voice and mood to carry the song without the usual protection of distortion. It shows that the duo's connection can survive at a smaller scale. Bummer is an assured debut with a strong sound and a somewhat narrow range of colors. Its best moments come from the exchange between the players rather than volume alone. When the rhythm opens up, the personality behind the noise becomes much easier to hear.
