After last week’s feast of blackened metallic tings, we’re stretching our legs a little more with this latest installment of Picks.

We’ve plumped for a couple of EPs because, frankly, they deserve to be here.

Cane Hill
Too Far Gone
Rise Records
[Spotify]

And just like that, NOLA nu-metal crew Cane Hill are an established act with a wicked EP and two banging albums to their name. It seems like only yesterday that ‘Sunday School’ tore through our speakers for the first time. Too Far Gone is a crushing follow-up to Smile. The title track is so loaded with bounce it’ll leave your springs going long after it ends. The expanded musical canvas through the record as a whole works seamlessly with the throwback aspects and Cane Hill are, now undeniably, a grown-ass band.

Terrible Love
Doubt Mines
Big Scary Monsters
[Spotify]

Terrible Love are a post-hardcore outfit from London and their new EP, Doubt Mines, is all the evidence you should need to be excited about them. Their brand of hardcore is refined and introspective, reminiscent of recent albums by Less Art and Hesitation Wounds. The EP eschews pace, delivering atmosphere in abundance instead. The five songs breathe and flow, dwelling on moments as they stride onwards. Opener ‘First Flowers’ is a high point, and ‘Separate Graves’ is the best example of allowing those moments room to germinate.

Square Kids
Floating
Self-released
[Spotify]

We’re staying in the realm of the EP for our final pick of the week but that’s where the similarities end. We know nothing whatsoever about Square Kids apart from the following two facts. Fact one: they’re from California. Fact two: their new EP, Floating, is a gorgeous, synthy slice of dream pop that we couldn’t resist. ‘Plage’ is the most infectious of its six tracks, but they all share a common sound and the highest standard. This is worth your time if you’re after something different to our usual recommendations.

Send us your sounds: picks@thisdecay.com