Spielbergs bury themselves further beneath the noise on “Five On It”

Over the course of 2018, Spielbergs, via a flurry of singles and an EP, seemed to make it their duty to try and give nostalgic indie rock more of the limelight they so clearly think it deserves. And, you know what, they didn’t half do a decent job of it.

Debut single “We Are All Going To Die” was an ode to the relentless energy of Japandroids, whereas follow-up singles “Distant Star" and “4am” gave a little more pop to their power. Topping the Hype Machine twice and playing a range of European festivals, the combination of these singles, plus their debut EP, Distant Star, led to plaudits from rock press and beyond.

“Five On It”, the latest track taken from their forthcoming debut This Is Not The End, takes a slight step back, bearing the emo/shoegaze tropes you’d expect from a subdued Cloud Nothings track, vocalist and guitarist Mads Baklien’s lyrics are largely hidden behind a wash of guitars, drums and bass, creating an obscure, writhing canvas of sound.

One of the few moments that break through, however, is the repeated questioning in Baklien’s chorus: “What do I know? / What do I care?” Symptomatic of the kind of lyrics you’d expect from many of the acts the band clearly draw inspiration from, there’s no doubt that they resonate as much now as ever before. We shouldn’t be surprised, as Spielbergs have spent the last year using nostalgia in their work while reflecting on issues in the here and now. They just haven’t done it as poignantly as on “Five On It”, until now.