by Shea Roney (@uglyhug_)
Chicago-based band, Interlay, has shared a new single today called “Medic,” offering the first sneak peak into their forthcoming EP, Hunting Jacket. With a guitar riff originally written a handful of years ago when Alexandria Ortgiesen lived in Madison, Wisconsin, the song has since been fleshed out over the years, finding life within the band’s newest line up. Accompanying Ortgiesen (vox + guitar) are members Sam Eklund (guitar), Kayla Chung (bass) and Henry Ptack (drums), who each utilize their strengths to personify their sound with post-punk precision and sweaty nostalgia in the name of gritty DIY devotion.
From the screech of an amp, the level of distortion that the guitars hold are unnerving, yet manage to be graceful with their power and direction as Ortgiesen’s vocals swarm with a loose and melancholic melody. The presence behind “Medic” plays into a drug induced haze, floating between self reduction and outer expectations, all within the acceptance of their placement. Ptacek and Chung create an unflinching rhythm section, grounding the song into its compact form while conducting the dynamics that make it so compelling. Eklund also makes his vocal debut with the band, his voice becoming a guttural reaction to the betrayal of bodily functions.
“Medic” is also accompanied by a music video made by Marjorie Matamoros. Interlay is set to release their upcoming EP, Hunting Jacket on July 5.