7/10

There's something especially exciting about hearing a band before every corner has been sanded down, and on their new collection 'July 2026', Chukwalla turns that immediacy into the EP’s greatest strength. Recorded live in Montreal with minimal overdubs, the three-track release feels like catching a group in the middle of discovering exactly what these songs can become.

That sense of possibility is especially clear on opener and lead track ‘Song 5’. Stretching towards eight minutes in length, it gives the band plenty of room to breathe, explore and react to one another in real time. Throughout its runtime, the performance carries the excitement of musicians still testing the boundaries of the arrangement, and that looseness gives the track a genuine sense of movement.

With just over a week to learn material from demos sent by Justin Wiggins, the band entered Studio Mixart and captured most songs within only a handful of takes. In many cases, the finished versions are simply the second or third attempts, and there's a refreshing lack of overthinking in the way the performances unfold.

‘No Way Out’ continues that expansive approach, pushing past eight minutes this time, and allowing improvisation to become part of the song’s identity, all while ‘Something Sharper’ offers a much more concise counterpoint to round off the release. Together, the three tracks showcase a band comfortable with bringing both patience and immediacy to their work.

Recorded and mixed at Studio Mixart using its vintage SSL 4000 desk, the sessions retain a natural full-band warmth while leaving room for more playful mixing touches, including shifting delays, reverbs and panning that heighten particular moments without overwhelming the live foundation.

Raw, exploratory and full of instinct, 'July 2026' captures Chukwalla at the point where preparation gives way to spontaneity. It's less about chasing perfection than documenting chemistry, and that makes the EP feel all the more alive for it.