Based on the four songs they’ve put out into the world, Fold Paper specialize in a particular vein of post-punk that prefers gnarled, mathy riffs over the straightforward driving guitars the genre tends to prefer. Their new debut EP 4TO peripherally belongs to the current wave of punchy bands like Cola, Stuck, and Deeper that build their songs around nearly automatonic guitar and gruffly belting lyrics—only with the trickster-punk antics of Wombo sprinkled in to break up any passages that might veer on monotony.
With that sense of abstraction in mind, it may not be surprising to hear vocalist and guitarist Chell Osuntade add a disclaimer to the end of each of his descriptions of these songs—after detailing the shit-talkers and flimsy support systems that inspired them—that the listener can take the song however they see fit. It’s a pretty tight correlative for how these songs sound: full of singularly directed angst almost contradictorily left vague so as to be more approachable to the listener.
With the project out now via Royal Mountain Records, stream it see what Osuntade had to say below.
1. “End Zone”
“End Zone” (mostly the breakdown in the middle) was written to make people feel what I feel when I watch a sad movie. It’s supposed to give you some pangs and make you really think about what’s going on in your life. It was written about moving out of a small town and the people who are tied to that small town.
2. “Idle Idle”
“Idle Idle” was written about your support systems not being your support systems and being very idle. It wasn’t from a place of anger, just really matter-of-fact. Maybe it’ll be a you-know-who-you-are type of situation for people that’ll make them feel bad; but hey, take the songs as you see fit.
3. “Nothing to Report”
“Nothing to Report” is about jealousy and shit-talking suckers that talk shit about you. Then when they see you face to face they’re all smiley and, “Oh, how’ve you been doing?” and “When’s your next show?” Like, shut up, I heard what you said about me, don’t ask me when my next show is. The song is probably my second favorite on the EP after “Come Down Awkward.” It’s so driving, and the chorus is such a resolve from the dissonant verse.
4. “Come Down Awkward”
This one goes so hard. It’s so syncopated and mathy and really makes our band look good. The drummer of Wombo (Joel) said “I’m a sucker for the mathy stuff” about the song. The song itself also has a very satisfying resolve at the end that begs to be heard. It’s mostly about being lonely in a new place, but then making said new place your own and thriving in it. Please interpret as you see fit, though.
