Jagged City unveils their debut instrumental EP, 'There Are More of Us, Always', a bold collection that moves between spacious, melodic guitar passages and raucous, swelling climbs. With heartfelt, melodious songwriting, a diverse range of eclectic touches buried within, and eruptions of dense, layered sound, this record delivers wonderfully balanced compositions through raw and personal production.
The project began as a cross-continental art experiment between Jake Woodruff (Defeater) and Carlos Torres (former touring member of Explosions In The Sky). What started as a simple exchange of ideas quickly found real shape through collaborative composition and thoughtful arrangement. Early sessions with David Haik helped refine the songs’ structures and drum frameworks, setting the groundwork for what would become Jagged City’s striking debut.
'There Are More of Us, Always' is an exploration of musical cooperation as catharsis. Through the album’s shifts -from open, reverb-swept guitar lines to tightly woven, chaotic crescendos— Jagged City invites listeners to inhabit a landscape where tension and release sit side by side. The compositions favor emotional immediacy over clinical ostentation; each passage earns its space and purpose, revealing new details on repeated listens.
The album’s title and the band’s name, inspired by Hanif Adburraquib’s 2024 book, “There’s Always This Year,” reflect an ethos of shared creativity and resilience. Inspired by the celebration of communal endurance, Jagged City positions this record as a reminder that connection and artistic exchange are powerful responses to isolation. The music is meant to be experienced together, whether in the hush of focused listening or the rush of a live room.
This debut is both a statement of intent and an open invitation: Jagged City offers music that rewards close listening and communal experience—an instrumental journey shaped by collaboration and a fierce commitment to feeling. While still post-rock, 'There Are More of Us, Always' utilises a diverse range of influence, giving a freshness to each uniquely realised track.
10 inch black vinyl in a gatefold sleeve.
Tracklisting:
Side A:
1. (Don't Dream It's Over)
2. Imaginary Lines
3. Rain And Sirens
4. Ocean East, Ocean West
Side B:
5. Hairspring
6. Minus Power
7. (Deluge In A Paper Cup)
