Basht - 'Bitter And Twisted' (EP Review)

A collection of stories telling the uncomfortable side of the human experience, and their maturest to date.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Ireland’s Basht. have quickly become one of the most exciting bands on the indie scene with their energetic live performances, incredible songwriting and feverish fanbase.

After dropping Dirty White Lies, a prodigious collection forming the most electrifying debut EP in years, we dubbed them ‘Your new favourite band of 2024’.

Now, with a small band shake-up and signing to Lab Records (Swim School, The K’s, Seb Lowe), they’ve created an excellent follow-up, their most complete work to date, produced by Richard McNamara.

Bitter & Twisted explores the uncomfortable side of being human through gritty lyricism and a much more accessible sound. Where Dirty White Lies saw the band embrace post-punk, beefy guitar solos and late-night screaming, this new effort sees the quartet sit upright, reflecting from new perspectives.

This new position allows the band to indulge in a direction which fits the music, not just their image, which is always crucial to building an eclectic catalogue. You’ll find this most evident in Burn or Sacred Heart, establishing a golden balance between their addictive sound with a greater focus on storytelling.

Speaking about the EP, the band echoed:

“Bitter and Twisted is a personal project that drags a lot of uncomfortable emotions into the light. I wanted to explore the messier side of being human, the pain we cause, the pain we carry, and how those two often get tangled. These songs are a reflection of my own struggles with identity, control, love, and the damage we sometimes mistake for connection.”

The lead single and opener Vain, is that rough-and-ready side to Basht. that so many came to love. Roaring guitars and fiery vocals. It’s a belter, and full of such emotional turmoil as the protagonist yells his struggles in the open.

Stockholm closely follows, a track that’s been road-tested for a while and fits nicely with this collection of identity-charged tracks. The single tackles what is love, and is likely named after the phrase ‘Stockholm syndrome’, a psychological process where a hostage or victim develops positive feelings and bonds with their abuser.

By the time you reach Bitter & Twisted, the title track, and hear the pounding drums and jangly riff, you quickly realise what this is all about. This EP documents every painful side of being human, and there’s no better depiction than this moment, complemented even more so but the spectacular production. It’s probably one of the most nuanced tracks from the band to date.

The band continues: “This EP isn’t easy listening but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s a snapshot of emotional extremes, of the parts of ourselves we don’t usually say out loud. Bitter and Twisted is my way of confronting all of that loudly, honestly, and without looking away.”

Finale track Sirens is an eruption of raw emotion, and disclosing ‘I’d rather die alone in this world than ever be forgotten’, another deeply uncomfortable reality which most humans can relate to. And the sirens? They’re a cry for help, ‘can you hear the sirens calling out above my head?’. The track is deeply layered with clever wordplay and again, complemented by a strong band.

“Is this the end?” are the final words you hear after the six-track EP, a poignant finish to a complex piece conveying the darker side of the human experience.

From frustration and yearning to reflection and emotion, this band has shown an impressive leap in their sophomore effort, one which will be important as they tread towards their inevitable debut album in the future. Crucially, it’s clear the storytelling and themes took centre priority, a skill not always easy to pull off in a band with such talent. The result is an EP which feels cohesive, rewards repeat listens and deserves your time.

Now, it’s your turn. Give it a spin, and tell us what you think on Insta or X.