MASCOT MOTH – SPESIMEN A (2024) (Bandcamp)

Eight new tracks from Mascot Moth on an EP that starts with a loose funky jam, punctuated by guitar and sax excursions, followed by ‘The Gulls of Giliminour’, which not surprisingly features the sounds of gulls (and waves), an evocative, reflective piece with prominent synth and bass, and wistful sax. This segues into a slightly dislocated jam with some singing before a female voice (Sioned Camlin who is also the drummer) narrates the tale of ‘Gwylliaid’ amidst a rather frenzied workout. Next come a fetching little piece driven by a bass riff that segues into increasingly grisly song about ‘Cornan the Horned Barbarian’, presumably a character from Welsh mythology. One of the longer pieces, at just over four minutes, ‘Round and Round’, not the old Panama Jug Band piece but an original about the passing of time (I think) that reminded me of early Soft Machine, concludes the EP. Mascot Math has been reviewed before on DISS and have an idiosyncratic charm that leads me to follow their exploits with interest.