Existential Threat – Double Single (EP Review)

Existential Threat continue to tread their own erratic and charming path with Double Single. Formed in 2022 out of what they call “spite,” the group, composed of Kid Confusion (bass, vocals), Duke (Of Earl) Duncan (guitar, vocals), and Clyde X. Spyre (drums, vocals), delivers an unpolished but engaging collection of four tracks that teeter between punk sensibility and nostalgic sentiment. This release doesn’t aim for perfection but lands somewhere far more interesting.

The opener, It’s The New Thing, barrels forward like a pop punk version of the Beatles during their more experimental period. There’s a tension between tight vocal-guitar interplay and slightly chaotic drumming, which, rather than detracting, adds a scrappy energy that suits the existential musings in the lyrics. Repeated lines like “What do you want? Where will you go? What do you know?” tap into the band’s namesake angst, while the recurring refrain “It’s a new thing, there it is” hints at a kind of worn-down wonderment. A brief but effective guitar solo keeps pace with the urgency of the rhythm section, and the song ends on a quiet note as the instruments slowly fade.

God Must Exist changes tone, leaning into a 70s-inspired groove that feels both sincere and slightly tongue-in-cheek. The arrangement echoes classic rock textures, with the song even touching on a Zeppelin-esque resonance. Lyrically, it’s one of the more heartfelt moments on the EP, describing a transformative romantic experience with lines like “I felt her love the first time we kissed, that’s how I knew God must exist.” The religious metaphor doesn’t feel overplayed; instead, it reads as an earnest reaction to a moment of overwhelming connection.

Sour Orange Lemon-Lime continues the retro aesthetic, but with less cohesion. The instruments on their own sound well-conceived, but as a whole, the mix occasionally struggles to lock into place. The song opens by repeating its title, and the lyrics take a more relaxed approach, focusing more on rhyme than narrative depth. The chorus touches on themes of misunderstanding and unmet expectations, with lines like “I don’t expect you to know what I’m thinking” adding emotional texture, even if the structure feels less focused than the previous tracks.

Closing with Wishful Thinking, the band offers a more introspective and moody piece. It opens with reversed audio, setting an otherworldly tone that fits the themes of regret and longing. Beginning a lot of lines with “I wish,” the lyrics build a quiet yearning for both emotional connection and temporal escape. It’s about wanting to be noticed, wanting to go back, and realising too late what should have been done. “Time always marches on” might be one of the most poignant lines on the record, anchoring the song in a resigned but honest truth.

While the entire EP carries a loose resemblance to the Beatles to my ears, especially in its melodic instincts and occasional experimentation, it avoids imitation. Instead, Double Single sounds like what might happen if a garage band from Neptune discovered Earth’s record crates from the 60s and 70s, filtered it through punk ethics, and then decided to write love songs and spiritual crises into the same breath.

SCORE/ Good – Existential Threat might not be trying to impress the masses, but that’s what makes them worth paying attention to. Their messiness is purposeful, their lyrics strangely moving, and their sound refreshingly unpredictable. This EP doesn’t promise answers, but it does ask the right questions.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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