Aspiga / Hanalei Split 7"

Aspiga and Hanalei are two bands from Jump Start Records. Aspiga is an indie punk band from New Jersey and this is their third release. Hanalei is an indie rock group from San Francisco. I think it might be just one guy, but the members have changed a lot so I can't tell. This record was released on February 28th.

Aspiga definitely has more energy than Hanalei on this split. The two tracks from them are very upbeat, addictive, and fun. "Laughing This Off" has relate-able lyrics and a super, super catchy guitar line. "Thanks, But I Can Throw Myself Out" follows the same trend. It sounds like if Mixtapes was a little tired when they wrote their music. It's pretty great. They do a good job of making you instantly add the rest of their albums to your list of albums to buy.

Hanalei is a lot more laid-back, but just as enjoyable. I really enjoy the vocals on this side. "Get Gone" was stuck in my head for at least 20 minutes after I heard it for the first time, which is fairly impressive considering my attention span. "Cut Dead (Jesus and Mary Chain)" is another great song with a super mellow tone. It's a really calming track, ha.

Overall, thumbs up.

Check it out!

-Bear