Two years after winning a Sammie award, fans of The New Humans were wondering when they’d get to hear a full record. After various production hurdles, on August 21st The New Humans will release what fans have been asking for: a surprising and entertaining EP entitled Avalanche.

Much of the eight track record is filled with the same heart-pounding synthesizer-driven electro pop that we have come to expect out of The New Humans. Tracks like “All the Kids” and “Tremors” seem like parts of the same explosive song and together they open the EP with a bang.
 
“Fever,” their first single (now available on iTunes), is still their signature track. This big band-inspired and well-composed dance hit is a catchy highlight of their live performances.The minute Scott Simpson (lead vocalist and man-about-synths) blasts “then it’s off with your head” I am hooked. However, what I appreciate most about its appearance on Avalanche is its placement. Being not the first, but fifth track shows fans new and old that TNHZ aren’t relying on popular old material to push this release, and also gives the listener time to take in new material.
 
The title track of the EP surprised me the most and actually caught me off guard. Until I heard “Avalanche”, the sound I most associated with The New Humans was a combination of hard-hitting jazzy drums by Mike Steez, melodic piano breaks from Cole Cuchna, synth effects and powerful vocals from Scott Simpson, and funky bass lines by Robbie La Casse.

Make no mistake: “Avalanche” is different. Although the lyrics remain as goth-like and creepy as other tracks [“Mammals turn to cannibals – they’re feeding on their young” and “nothing’s ever good enough to save” for example] this song features a more layered sound, making it stand out from the rest of the album. With minimal effects, the harmonized vocals and simple piano melody are able to take center stage. Here it sounds not only different, but more honest, as if TNHZ have graduated to a more mature and singular sound: their own. And, as much as I love “Fever,” “Avalanche” is the best of the EP. It doesn’t sound like The New Humans we know now, but more like the new New Humans – a hint about where they are heading in the future.
 
If you’d like to help celebrate the release of Avalanche go to the Townhouse Lounge on Saturday August 21st @ 8 PM where The New Humans will be performing along with Favors and Little Foxes [presented by Concerts 4 Charity and SEMF]. 

TNHZ Photo and EP Cover by Raoul Ortega.