Kintsugi wastes little time getting started. “Misery,” the EP’s opening track, comes in hard with a striking drum intro and a dark guitar riff before settling into a fast-moving punk arrangement. FiveSidedDice, the South African solo project led by Roscoe Nefdt, clearly draws from the melodic punk and pop-punk tradition, with echoes of bands such as Sum 41, Goldfinger, Senses Fail and The Distillers. Those influences are easy to hear, but the songs still feel personal rather than like attempts to recreate an earlier era of punk.
The energy carries through the first part of the EP, with layered guitars giving the songs a fuller sound. Nefdt recorded and produced the entire project himself, yet Kintsugi rarely feels like a limited one-person production. There is a sense of urgency running through the material, balanced by the more personal ideas behind the record. The title comes from the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery, reflecting the EP’s interest in how people can come through difficult experiences changed, stronger and sometimes closer to others.
“The Angel Number” changes the pace completely. The instrumental track brings in a more atmospheric, post-rock feel and gives the EP a needed moment of space before “Look Down” closes things out. The final song is perhaps the biggest surprise. Stripped back and centered around acoustic guitar, it leaves behind the speed and distortion of the earlier tracks for something much quieter and more vulnerable. Its melancholy feels natural, making the transition from the opening track especially effective.
Recorded at Nefdt’s home studio in Gqeberha between 2025 and early 2026, Kintsugi has the feel of a personal record made without unnecessary complications. FiveSidedDice has been active since 2008, and that experience shows in the confidence of the songwriting. The EP is short, but its change in mood gives it more depth than its length suggests. It begins with noise, speed and frustration, then gradually finds its way toward reflection, a fitting shape for a record about breaking, rebuilding and moving forward.
SONGS ON EP
• Misery
• Fear of Heights
• Becoming This
• The Angel Number
• Look Down
