9/10

Every now and then, an EP lands that feels bigger than its runtime. And 'REPETITIVE STRAIN' is one of those EPs. Four tracks. No filler. Just a razor-sharp, beat-driven statement that instantly vaults Chas Leman into a different league.

From the opening seconds of 'Washing Machine Week.', you can feel the shift. A muscular bassline locks in like a heartbeat under pressure, while shimmering synth textures and unexpected string flourishes create a world that’s playful on the surface yet emotionally loaded underneath. Leman’s voice cuts through it all with a beautifully human ache, and the production crackles with intent.

Then comes 'The Good Life?', and it absolutely soars. This is floor-filler territory, but with brains and bruises intact. The hooks are immediate, the rhythm infectious, and the melodic details intoxicating. Yet beneath the gloss, he dissects disappearing community spaces and the creeping squeeze of modern existence with a poet’s eye. It’s clever, cutting, and ridiculously catchy; the kind of song that makes you move first and think later.

'The Real World.' is where things tilt into audacious territory. Warped vocal layers, restless electronic loops, and harmonies that bend and stretch.. The arrangement feels alive, constantly mutating, refusing predictability. Few artists can make experimentation feel this natural.

And then there’s 'This Is Life.' Starting spare and direct, it builds into a chorus that erupts. When the guitars finally collide in the closing stretch, the chemistry between Leman and producer A.Charles ignites. It’s cathartic, defiant, and truly unforgettable.

What makes 'REPETITVE STRAIN' extraordinary is the emotional clarity. These songs wrestle with routine, financial strain, and the slow erosion of joy, yet they celebrate survival. They dance in spite of it all.

In a time already crowded with releases, this EP feels essential, and Chas Leman has delivered one of the most exciting statements of the year so far.