Planer’s three song The End EP serves as an ideal introduction to the group’s shoegaze-adjacent indie sound. Over three songs, the band establishes a consistent vibe, pushes the boundaries of that vibe, and showcases substantial creative potential. But what makes these three songs truly exciting is how their low-stakes ethos manages to create high-quality music.

Each song resides in the patient corners of “grunge” sometimes catalogued as shoegaze, but with a throwback indie feel. The first song, from which the EP claims its name, eases the listener into the textured and distorted guitars that defines Planer’s sound. I hear nods to slowcore pioneers like Codiene more than My Bloody Valentine. As the EP progresses, these indie rock roots emerge as more stable pillars than the fuzzed-out guitars might suggest. “Paper,” the second track, features dueling guitarwork calls to mind pre-emo Death Cab for Cutie (Something About Airplanes more than Transatlanticism), and the final track “Satisfied” wears its Built to Spill influence on its sleeve.

Each of these songs is rooted in classic indie tropes, but Planer pulls them off with enough verve and authenticity to make it their own. Nobody’s trying too hard, but they sound good doing it. While the instrumentation and no-frills production slots Planer firmly within the crowd of current shoegaze revivalists, Planer carves some distinction with cool and level vocals. Rather than softening the vocals with layers of reverb and delay, the vocals ground the music in an appealingly fresh way.

The songs are well written and performed capably, but nothing is overdone or overworked. There’s room for Planer to further hone their sound, tighten up their performances, and push themselves even further creatively. The End EP is a fun and rewarding listen, but the idea of what might come next is even more tantalizing.