Tween isn’t technically Wye Oak’s fifth studio record. The music on the seven-song mini-album dates from the years between 2011’s Civilian and 2014’s Shriek, a period when the duo evolved from a biting indie-rock outfit into a kaleidoscopic synthpop act. Band members Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack even characterize the songs as “not emblematic of a step forward, but a step sideways in time.” These castoffs reflect enthralling detours, however—a glimpse into the paths Wye Oak might have taken, a secret history of sorts discovered and brought to light.
The mostly instrumental, electronic-zapped ambient shoegaze whirr “Out Of Nowhere” sounds like it could be on the Trainspotting soundtrack, while “If You Should See” and “Better (For Esther)” are dead ringers for Cocteau Twins, between the plush gothic atmospheres and Wasner’s ornate yelps. Standout “Watching The Waiting” and “On Luxury” also have a retro vibe. The former conjures the ethereal music popular in the early ’90s, when the lines between lush synthpop and lilting alt-rock blurred, while the latter is elegant, humid electropop with an eye toward late nights and bad decisions. Better still is the stormy “Too Right,” which recalls The Afghan Whigs thanks to frayed, distortion-distressed guitars and Wasner’s bruised vocals.