Space-y post-rock is a hallowed tradition in the genre. The wide open spaces and generally washed out tones of the elements involved lend themselves well to long-winded explorations of space themes and the general sense of loneliness that the great unknown brings with it. Hitherto, the creative duo of Arsh Goswami and Shrey Kathuria, try to capture that very feeling on their self-titled EP and get a lot of it right. They succeed in part because of a wider focus, with visuals and audio coming together and on equal footing, which provides a more complete experience.

The nuts and bolts of the project are instrumental post-rock with your expected palate of modulation effects, slow riffs and a murky haze of cymbals to prop up moments when things get heavy and approach are we alone in the universe? levels of emotion. That is what Hitherto are going for after all, and except for an odd drum sound in the mix (the snare is bit papery for this genre), they do a good job of it. The EP is five tracks long and features templates of slow builds to some sort of sentimental crescendo. Opener ‘I Won’t Be Long’ spices that very moment up by doubling up the tempo; it makes for a less plodding conclusion. ‘Opiods Make My Brain Slow’ has a super rhythm section; it’s groovy and way more interesting than the norm. This song’s instrumental sunrise, so to speak, is hard-hitting and has  that quality that gives the feeling of sinking into a bed of sounds; it is all the more compelling for it. That being said, there isn’t really a particularly pedestrian or dull moment here. ‘Evacuate’ uses heavier tones and the aforementioned cymbal wash to great effect. ‘Her Voice Of Static’ ends with the heaviest moment on the EP; a mass of wailing leads, a menacing riff that almost sounds like doom metal and truckloads of bass. It is the highlight in a series of good moments. The closer ‘Inertia’ also keeps things heavy, and Hitherto ends the release just as the quiet-loud thing starts to get old. Huge credit also goes to the visuals that really build the atmosphere and have a brooding and mysterious aesthetic; they go a long way in keeping this EP interesting. And that, it is.