Looking through the archives of Small Black posts on our site, we've noticed we spend a fair amount of time telling you what Small Black are not. Mostly in relation to chillwave, which we're still not sure is or was ever a thing. Anyway—whatever. Classify it how you want. Either way, it's undeniable that the band took some serious steps forward with New Chain, a record that moves the distinct elements (lots of electronics) of their sound to the forefront without losing any of that wistfulness we all apparently loved so much in the last year or so of a specific strain of music. Small Black could have easily just released an expanded version of their EP, but instead decided to throw a bunch of new ideas at the wall. New Chain is a brief, enjoyable record, but it's what might follow that we're even more stoked on.