EP Review: Seeds

Pōneke duo Breaches is carving out a pretty specific niche for themselves. Blending what they call ‘rural aggression’ with ‘dance-floor romance,’ Hayden Ellis and Matt McGuiness have put together a four-track release that is polished, moody, and clearly had a lot of hours poured into the production.

While they label themselves as post-punk, to my ears, the “punk” element is buried pretty deep under layers of dark synth-work and heavily processed atmosphere. It feels more like a cinematic exploration of gothic electronic music – think less of the garage and more of a dimly lit, underground club in the dead of winter.

Here is a track-by-track breakdown:

Track 1: Died Alone
The EP opens with a dark, moody programmed intro that sets a heavy scene. There’s a lot of delay-pedal work and synth textures floating over a very computerized drum beat. The vocals are mysterious and drenched in effects, ample amounts of delay and chorus giving it a vibe you’d expect to hear during a pivotal scene in a noir film. At 3:37, it’s a well-mixed lead-in that establishes their shadowy sonic footprint immediately.

Track 2: Seeds
The programmed drums return here with a bit more of a danceable pulse, though the dark and moody dial is still turned up to ten on this one. The vocals actually remind me a bit of Rammstein, but stripped of that aggressive German growl, opting instead for a brooding presence. What stands out to me is the guitar work layered underneath; it’s intricate and gives the track a “spacey” feel, even while driving along at what sounds like a 2/4, 160bpm clip. The mix is clean, with plenty of breathing room between instruments, though the guitars definitely sit back to let the vocal layers take the driver’s seat.

Track 3: Valentine
This one shifts into a 4/4 head nod tempo. Interestingly, it feels like it’s written in a major key, moving away from the dissonant, minor-heavy feel of the previous tracks. I caught a whiff of a chord progression that reminded me of the 1963 gospel tune I Will Follow Him, though it’s filtered through such a dark lens that most people probably wouldn’t spot the connection. This track introduces a female vocalist for a duet, utilizing the same distortion and chorus effects. Again, the vocals are the dominant force here, keeping the guitars as a textured backdrop.

Track 4: Spin Me Around
This is the standout for me. It features a long, slow-burn intro, hi-hat buildups over eerie synths before a cool, chorus-heavy guitar starts plugging away. It takes nearly two minutes for the vocals to break through, but the payoff is worth it. It has an almost 80’s Icehouse vibe once it hits the 2:30 mark. The writing is incredibly intricate, with guitar progressions that hint at some serious technical talent (shades of Steve Vai in the complexity). It’s a never-ending buildup that shows off the duo’s ability to craft a killer tune.

Final Thoughts: The mixing and mastering across these four tracks are superb. There is a level of clarity here that you just don’t get with a lot of the garage-recorded acts coming through the circuit. To be honest, this isn’t necessarily the style of music I usually have on high rotation, but I can absolutely appreciate the craftsmanship. It’s a far cry from a raw punk sound, but for listeners who enjoy brooding, synth-driven landscapes and polished production, Breaches hits the mark they were aiming for. It’s atmospheric, professional, and very well-executed.