With a quick ramp to full energy, STEALTH CAT launches into their latest single, “Tobias”. The 3-piece instrumental band hailing from Bristol, UK, is releasing a single a month. “Tobias” just also comes with its own music video.
Leaning heavily into math rock vibes, STEALTH CAT immediately shows you their minimalist DIY greenscreen setup before launching into vibrant pink backgrounds and frame-by-frame line drawings highlighting their instruments, drawing equipment, and animating a cat. With heavy glitches and distortion, the scenes warp into each other in a surreal way.
The high energy matches the music. All three instruments feel like they’re having a conversation, seamlessly jumping from topic to topic. With tuplets and harmonics sprinkled throughout, it feels almost like they’re discussing the gentle landing of the line-drawn cat.
As the guitar and bass trade technical licks, the drums shift from pure percussion to an almost melodic nature. At every turn, the band twists the expected progression into something new and exciting.
Even the ending makes a 180-degree turn. Instead of an epic conclusion to the build, they suddenly go soft. With a muted sound ringing from the 5-string bass, that line-drawn cat joins the band as they look out, away from the audience. But they even flip that soulful moment by quickly spinning to turn off the camera. From start to finish, it’s a wonderful inversion of expectations.
Watch “Tobias” below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
