With its minimalist beats, rubbery basslines, and verses that are built a bit like raps but are clearly not hip-hop,
Sneaks sometimes suggest what you'd get if a smart but soft-spoken American woman tried to channel the
Sleaford Mods. Of course, the
Sleaford Mods are the polar opposite of soft-spoken or the American, so the comparison only carries so much weight, but the second album from
Eve Moolchan's recording project, 2017's
It's a Myth, is a fascinating example of how the nuts and bolts of hip-hop can be used to create something else altogether. There's as much indie rock in
It's a Myth as hip-hop (trading the rhythm programs for a drum kit on "Act Out" reveals just how close the proportions are), but most of these ten tracks find
Sneaks lost in a groove and liking it, and though these tunes sometimes suggest a breakdown while you're waiting for the rest of the band to come back in, even the most skeptical can sway easily to this music with minimal effort.
Moolchan is as much of a minimalist lyrically as musically, but her delivery on
It's a Myth is breathy but effective, creating a memorable lyrical vibe on numbers like "Look Like That" and "Devo" while leaving room for the beats to shine through. And though the album runs through ten tracks in less than 20 minutes,
It's a Myth plays like an album rather than an EP, with more than enough ideas and wit to give this the muscles and attitude of a larger project. When
Sneaks goads someone with the words "You think you got a lot to say? You think you need a bigger stage?" on "Hair Slick Back," it's because she's showing just how much more less can truly be.
It's a Myth is a stripped-down indie rock/hip-hop hybrid that says plenty and makes its own cool, low-key fun at the same time. ~ Mark Deming
