REVIEW

The debut EP from Vancouver-based Canadian shoegaze band cherry pick.

Formed in 2023, cherry pick currently operate as a four-piece consisting of guitar/vocals, guitar, bass/vocals, and drums. Their early singles, “daze” and “pity,” were reportedly created on a Mac in their high school band room—an origin story that underscores the project’s DIY beginnings. In terms of influence, the band have cited Mannequin Pussy most prominently, alongside artists such as Wednesday, Ovlov, Swirlies, Wisp, Feeble Little Horse, and Duster.

The EP’s defining appeal lies in the contrast between its elements: violently swirling, space-filling guitar noise paired with vocals that remain graceful and distinctly melancholic. Bursts of sheer volume arrive with startling immediacy, and even the quieter passages are charged with tension, as if an explosion could occur at any moment.

That dynamic is especially clear on #2 “Tip Toe.” The track toys with the listener by pivoting between dreamlike sections and relentless drum barrages, only to culminate in a bulldozer-like wall of sound that flattens everything in its path. The sense of release is visceral, and the momentum feels driven as much by instinct as by intention.

Rather than fitting neatly into the prevailing Nu-Gaze mold, cherry pick appear to carve out a character of their own—one defined by volatility, contrast, and youthful urgency.