The release of “The Battle at Kiganjima Island” on November 11 was big news for the DIY scene, a loose collection of independent bands functioning outside of big record labels and the music industry. In the past, the DIY scene would be a lot more local, but because of the internet, smaller bands are able to get more attention so now the DIY community is predominantly online. The bands Pictures of June, Your Arms Are My Cocoon, Floral Patterns, and Lights Strung Like Stars collaborated on the split (which is a shorter album/EP that is normally divided equally amongst different artists), and they’re all skramz or screamo bands that are known mainly as part of the new-ish fifth-wave emo scene. Starting to emerge in 2019, fifth wave is most definitely not the midwestern emo revival of the fourth wave; one of the leading influences on the new genre is actually video game soundtracking. To provide a form of reference for the style of the EP, I’d say this effort takes a definite page from La Dispute, showing in elaborate lyrical layers and angular guitar riffs over the album, especially on “High Beams.” Some other bands that sound like this effort are City of Caterpillar, Pageninetynine and (this may be a stretch, but still) I Hate Myself.

The split takes the name from an island that appears in “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus,” and it seems a bit obvious to point out that the EP quite literally named “The Battle at Kiganjima Island” follows a mildly constant narrative. Following a theoretical protagonist, there’s an exposition, rising action, journey, and resolution – every element of a story you learned in middle school English class. Using this narrative vessel definitely showed off the songwriting and artistic capabilities of the individual bands, and totally benefits from having multiple bands contributing to the split. It gives it a more patchwork feel, in a good way. 

The split opens with Pictures of June’s “Love in Three Stages,” setting the tone for the rest of it. With the staple twinkly emo riffs that I go into every emo album expecting, the opening brings to mind Foxtails and their 2017 album “III.” The beginning sounds hesitant yet skulky, and the track’s guitar and spoken vocals are mixed so low, you have to lean in to hear them. It picks up the pace halfway through, but it still feels like the buildup to the boss battle.

Going into the second track, “Raisin Lung” by Your Arms Are My Cocoon is a jarring and melancholy switch-up. Piercing guitar riffs on the opener change to Your Arms Are My Cocoon’s characteristic lofi pop instrumentation, and where “Love in Three Stages” is the creeping introduction, “Raisin Lungs” seems like the emotional journey along the way. For those who aren’t familiar with the band, it kind of sounds like Bedbug got Orchid’s vocalist to scream out the lyrics. Bittersweet, vulnerable, and jarring, it’s classic Your Arms Are My Cocoon, fitting seamlessly into this split. 

“High Beams” by Floral Patterns doesn’t disappoint, and swirls in between half-screamed, half-spoken vocals and cuts to flurries of action. The energetic riffs of the track almost hide the downer side of the song; it’s brimming with excitement, but it’s truly the most devastating track on the split. It’s like a gut-punch in music, but backed up with all the desperation and loneliness of Floral Patterns. The song is both the most exciting point on the record and the, emotionally speaking, lowest one. If we follow the narrative of the split, this is clearly the action kicking in: the final boss battle. 

It’s hard to picture the split picking up after “High Beams,” but the next track, “The Endless Windmill” by Lights Strung Like Stars, is delightfully whimsical. Merging chiptune and the lead singer’s harsher vocals, the song is a resolution that leaves enough there to wonder what’s next. Yeah, they do follow the fifth-wave trend of taking samples from shows (which can be really irritating) but it fits right in here. The track really has all the Lights Strung Like Stars characteristic comfort that hits you right when you need it most. 

This is an absolutely heart-wrenching split. I’m not always super sold on these, but “The Battle at Kiganjima Island” is awesome, bringing together four great bands to form a cohesive listening experience. It’s both abrasive and vulnerable, and comes from bands who have experience creating music with both moods. I’d say if you haven’t listened to any of the bands before, this is a definitely great introduction to most of them, with the exception of Your Arms Are My Cocoon. But only because their other stuff is so good. You can find the split on Spotify, but it’s available on most streaming platforms.