Richmond, Virginia's Post-Metal/Post-Rock instrumental band SHY, LOW present their latest EP, released on May 26 via Pelagic Records. From Bandcamp, "though entirely instrumental, reducing the band's contemporary sound to the term "Post-Rock" wouldn't do this EP justice. "Babylonica" is an astounding and immensely diverse EP that will appeal to fans sitting on all ends of the broad spectrum of modern heavy rock music."

It's a three-song album. "The Salix" is the first. It begins with what sounds like the wind, and it picks up to clean guitar notes and soft drumming. Layers of guitar are added, and the mood stiffens. Bass guitar enters, and meaty undertones roll into distorted guitars that are crunchy and moody. Salix are trees in the willow genus, and you can feel them swaying in the wind, sometimes gently and other times more violently. Wonderful guitar melodies come in around the half-way mark, and the song takes on a more hopeful sound. What follows is a heavier bite. The ending sequence is tense, and it segues to "33°24_06.0_N 84°14_48.7_W," which are coordinates to downtown Paris. Paris is referred to as the "city of light."

"Instinctual Estrangement" closes the EP. The opening tones are somewhat sad, but hope can spring eternal. I love the mood in the song. A delicate and charming melody line runs strong throughout the song. When the main riff drops, it drops with a heavy boot of rousing harmonies from the guitars. This song embodies the duality of both ardent and soft musical tones occurring at the same time, and it swirls into a synergy of sound that will tantalize your senses. The ending will leave you wanting more. I primarily love Post-Rock because of how it makes me feel. Harmony is what I think of when I listen to the album. You can start off in a foul mood, but by the end, things fall into place, and you feel right and one with your surroundings once again. That is precisely the mark of great music.