SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THEY ARE GUTTING A BODY OF WATER – KOOL FAITH/LOOSIES II

THEY ARE GUTTING A BODY OF WATER
KOOL FAITH/LOOSIES II
ATO RECORDS/JULIA’S WAR

Kool Faith/Loosies II is the latest offering from Philadelphia rock outfit, They are Gutting a Body of Water. The 29-track LP, dubbed a mixtape by frontman and guitarist Douglas Dulgarian, is an eclectic mix of genres which succeeds in emulating the collaborative and diverse qualities of a homemade tape. This record is a nostalgia-filled odyssey through classic shoegaze, grunge, rap, and spoken word which, though undeniably a TAGABOW record, is wholly new. With 21 collaborative tracks, Kool Faith/Loosies II, is true to the mixtape form, combining the familiar with the unexpected in a record that caters to the tastes of an audience beyond that of their own fanbase.

TAGABOW introduced audiences to the album with the release of “charter spec (ft. Horse Jumper of Love),” “free willy,” “the rook,” and “kool marder”. These tracks are short, sharp tasters of the album, providing a glance into the mixed aesthetics of the record. From the onset, it is clear that this is an experimental LP. “charter spec,” “free willy,” and “the rook,” feature lyrics which are almost indistinguishable from their instrumentation and act more as abstract soundscapes than traditional songs. Whilst enjoyable and welcome additions to the TAGABOW catalogue, these tracks struggle to reflect the depth of the record and the arguably more interesting aspects of its track list. The standout amongst the four, is “kool marder,” a collab with Louisiana four-piece Cashier, that harks back to the songwriting style of TAGABOW’s 2025 album LOTTO. “kool marder,” is a guitar-driven track with confessional lyrics that drift through a landscape of melancholic yearning. This track is a level collaboration, with unmistakable influences from Cashiers’ debut EP The Weight that combine effortlessly with the perfected shoegaze talents of TAGABOW.

Other noteworthy tracks include “letter and point (ft. Dead Sullivan, Scarlet Rae),” “size of a building (ft. Hooky),” and “am i wrong (ft. A Country Western, Dead Sullivan),” In examining this record, the collaborations that shine through are those whose lyrics are able to stand their own against TAGABOWs’ impressive wall of sound. Hooky makes their mark upon this record with raw spoken word admissions whilst Dead Sullivan brings lo-fi warmth and candour. Country Westerns are brilliant in this regard, with a Springsteen-esque vibrancy that endears you to the record just as you’d expect a mixtape to.

Whilst TAGABOW has been unstoppable with their raw and often commentative releases, this record lacks a uniting force. Though TAGABOW features on every track, this album feels in places, like a compilation album as opposed to a mixtape. There are tracks such as “kool marder,” and “God’s little clown (ft. Greg Mendez),” which show massive potential, however, Kool Faith/Loosies II struggles with cohesion, failing to maintain a level of consistency which would render this release a solid studio LP. Whilst this record comes across as a genuinely fun and thoughtful collaborative experience, there is little aside from the variation in styles, that makes this mixtape feel thoughtfully compiled.

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