The Nghiems reveal more sparkling indie-rock with their new EP "EL Camino."

To describe the sonic trademark of the Nghiems, an indie/alternative rock band based out of Oklahoma, look no further than "El Camino." The harmonic twangs of guitars and a smooth, vintage-inspired rock production are meant to ensnare listeners— and although it's only fifteen minutes long, the time span is filled with attention-grabbing tracks. This illuminates what the Nghiems are best at, and there's no better opportunity than this to get into their nuanced musicality.

The group was initially kick-started by the Nghiem brothers: David (who handles the vocals and keys department), along with James (drums), and expanded to include other talented members eventually. They are far from nascent in this industry, as their debut album "The Pine Tree, The Mushroom & The End of the World" hit digital streaming sometime in 2011. Over eleven tracks, the abundant creative inspiration from yesteryear pop and folk sounds is clearly apparent ("Nothing to Fear," "Traveling Coat"), adjacent to modern indie-pop productions like "The Morning." This independent mentality has helped them achieve a discography covering a broad spectrum of sound, rather than sticking to one particular genre— nevertheless, fostering the smoother, feel-good signature over the years with open-minded experimentations.

Almost fifteen years later, the EP is another summation of their deftness in crafting ear-pleasing tunes. A collective of prior releases tunes and a new one (that being the titular one), this serves as a teaser for a full-fledged album about to arrive later this year. "El Camino" is clearly a road trip accompaniment tune, as guitars reverberate with twangy intonations and are carried by an upbeat drumming strut. The vocals are mellow, if not plenty introspective. On "Nobody Move," a grabby, bittersweet guitar riff takes the limelight on this soft rock groove with a sardonic, quirky rendition in charge (for instance, the chorus lyrics nonchalantly directing threats used in a robbery). Embedded with lo-fi aesthetics, "Stay (Na Na Na)" is satisfyingly effused with a warmer, vintage radiance in its composition. The closing act is marked by "K-pop Band,” equipped with vocals daydreaming to ditch a banal life to taste mega fandom status prevalent in the Korean music industry; it's charming with its starry-eyed vocals, incorporating jangly melodies alongside percussions and other natural sounds (ultimately evolving into an escalating, lofty chorus finale, sweetening the track further).

Listen to "El Camino" on Spotify, and follow The Nghiems on Instagram.