Ultra Dolphins

Why Are You Laugh (2006)

Brian Shultz

Ultra Dolphins play the type of spasmodic post-hardcore that puts you in situations you should feel uncomfortable in, but somehow, you sort of enjoy. Why Are You Laugh is a more or less reissue of an old EP recorded way back in the winter of 2002 and a track from another EP, recorded in spring 2004, tacked on, but these tunes sound surprisingly fresh and modern, in only the best of ways.

Tracks like "Duck Butter, Then" and the manic "Synchronized Swimming" prove the band contains a frenzy unmatched by few others. The three-piece weaves in and out of solid guitar rock riffs and spit lyrics, with jarring bass strums on the latter of these songs. Think something like Bear vs. Shark tying the Locust's hands behind its back hostage-like and carefully monitoring the perimeters, but still, it's hard to understand the eerieness, driven tempos and schizophrenic moods employed within matters of seconds. Combustible fits of noise wreak their way through mini-car accidents only to emerge from the wreckage with a few apathetic bruises, carrying on the rest of the song, like "Shoont"'s strange "in placebo, baby!" melody.

I really feel like I'm underselling Why Are You Laugh here, which is unfortunate, because despite how old these songs are, again, they truly ring with a creative energy and relatively tongue-in-cheek bravado that's worth hearing. And as these tracks really are quite dated within themselves, it'll be surely interesting to see what's delivered on the band's full-length coming soon on Robotic Empire now that they've been secretly developing their style and writing away.

MP3
White Substance

STREAM
Shoont