Striking a rare balance between ambitious instrumental experimentation and challenging yet recognizable melodic structures, Hot Cross and Ad Astra Per Aspera make accessible art rock that engages listeners on several levels. Hot Cross' songs ebb and flow like the seratonin levels of a hyperhormonal teen, building to door-slamming outbursts before collapsing in silent shame. Ad Astra Per Aspera's upcoming EP, Cubic Zirconia, answers the intriguing but unasked question: "What would happen if a pianist had joined Dirty-era Sonic Youth?"
