Premiere: Sweet Peach and Ben Quad Split

Posted: 12th December, 2019 by The Editor

Let’s Split Up: A declaration that, in most contexts, is heartbreaking; here, though, as the title of Ben Quad & Sweet Peach’s new EP it’s a play on words and a hint at the dichotomy of the two artist’s contributions. Give it a listen below:



Everything about it feels like your favorite acclaimed emo record, from the suburban home on the cover to the matching of break-neck riffs with charming harmonics on the tracks. Along with streaming on any platform other than Amazon Music, beautiful pastel-splattered white tapes are available via Chillwavve Records.

Electrifying and light-footed, Ben Quad is like if you took Origami Angel’s tight, high-speed style and threw in the inspiration of Swordfish (“I’m No Loon”) or Joyce Manor (“A Tech You Can’t Deck Out”). Their uppity melodies and love of group vox edge on pop-punk, but the twinkle and dialogue samples make these songs a refreshing reminder that emo is alive and well. Sweet Peach comes in contemplative on “The Boys Are Still in Town,” echoing a Mover Shaker-esque patience that lets the track rumble alive before taking off. The DC-based group grounds the EP withtheir grit and leans more into their punk side, both tracks almost 5 minutes but paced expertly, making every cymbal hit count.

This release is detailed, with layered whispers, clean solos, and the eccentric track names. It fulfills a kind of duality by placing two acts together that, if listened to separately, I wouldn’t recognize had any commonality. Next to each other, you’re able to hear the similar guitar tones, the appreciation for twinkle, and under everything else, roots in emo music. You can take your band in an emo-adjacent direction, but you can’t take the emo out of your band—and I think that’s beautiful.

FOLLOW BEN QUAD

bandcamp | Instagram | twitter

**upcoming shows**

12/21 in OKC at Arfro Gallery (with Riley!)

12/30 in Tulsa at the Tulsa Vanguard (with Origami Angel and Short Fictions)

FOLLOW SWEET PEACH

bandcamp | Instagram | twitter

**upcoming shows**

12/15 in DC at Pie Shop (with GRLwood and Model/Actriz)

1/02 in Baltimore (with Stand and Wave)

1/22-25 tour with Tunnel Songs and Snowchella

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Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy

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