For a debut EP there’s little expectation, and for Xylos’ Bedroom EP that’s probably a good thing. The five tracks leave much to be desired even with the phenomenal guest vocals. “In the Bedroom” is the first song from the co-ed unsigned New York five piece, and features frontman Eric Zeiler’s strained vocals paired with the monotone back up vocals. Xylos’ female vocals are showcased more in the next few tracks, which add a sort of Acid Tongue vibe to the record. The second song, “Wrapped in a Page” is a vast improvement from the previous, with stand out percussion and very southern finger picking.

   “Yellow Flip-Flops” is clearly the best of the five songs, which was previously released for the Music for Picture summer compilation. Having a very 70s folk influence with the mixed gendered vocals and also features a mesh of acoustic versus electric as well as banjo. Moodiness and brooding closes the EP out with “This House We Built” and “Testament”. The prior is easily forgettable, yet the latter does the album justice with a slow build up adding a new instrument ever few bars and ending with swells of piano and harmonizing before heading into an incredible guitar solo.

      For an obviously very new band, the mediocrity of the EP is not an end all issue, Xylos clearly has potential and time to grow. Hopefully they will mend and alter their sound for the release of their full length due out this fall. – Tatyahna Cameron

For more information about Xylos, go to www.xylosmusic.net/