3 out of 5

Label: Peek-a-Boo Records

Produced by: Octopus Project

A couple of fantastic OP rockers together with a mismatched – but interesting – retake, and… some unfortunately middling electronica.

Coming out post the world-conquering Hello, Avalanche, Golden Beds resembles, initially, a quick and dirty straight-to-tape jam.  This normally doesn’t work for Project, whom benefit from organized chaos, but openers Wet Gold and Moon Boil allow the group to amp into overdrive – particularly on the well-named Boil – producing a much rockier / punkier version of the group than we typically get on album.  Which, I’d argue, is what EPs can be good for: stepping out from ‘neath expectations, however temporarily, a doing exactly what these two tracks do.  So far, so good.

There’s then a retake of a track from Identification Parade – Rorol.  On its own, this more organic version is worthwhile and grooving, but it’s a very slow build to pair with the energetic lead-ins.  The last two tracks, Wood Trumpet and Half a Nice Day are… sub-par; not memorable electronic squiggles that make the EP less impactful than it could be if pared down to the other songs by themselves.  Oh well.  Bang for your buck and whatnot, I guess, but the EP is nonetheless worth it for Gold and Boil.