The New York duo Straw Man Army make a sparse, driven form of post-punk that recalls the DIY severity of underground greats like the Ex. Both members of Straw Man Army are also in the arty hardcore band Kaleidoscope, but Straw Man Army don’t sound much like that band. Instead, Straw Man Army make hard, flinty, rhythmic music. They’re hooky without ever sounding too professional, and they’re adventurous without ever getting overtly experimental. It’s hard to make post-punk that sounds both urgent and original these days, but on their new album, Straw Man Army pull it off.

Straw Man Army’s new album SOS is the follow-up to their 2020 debut Age Of Exile, and it’s a sharp and focused piece of music. This band is definitely into clangs and buzzes, sounds that might ordinarily put most of us on edge, but they focus those clangs and buzzes into fierce, compact, accessible rockers. SOS is well worth your time, and you can stream it below.

SOS is out now on La Vida Es Un Mus Discos/D4MT Labs.