They Are Gutting A Body Of Water KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II
Released Oct 16, 2026 ATO
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 20, 2026
Mostly positive consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. They Are Gutting A Body Of Water's KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II turns a loose, collaborative mixtape format into a showcase for the band's restless imagination.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
baiting breath
1 critic mention
“the song harnesses a core drum beat reminiscent of a sped-up trip-hop melody, captivating and slightly foreboding at once.” — Far Out Magazine
town crier
1 critic mention
“LUCY (Cooper B. Handy) ’s freaky pop takes a hellish acid trip on “town crier.” — Pitchfork
heart knower
2 critic mentions
“the song continues to be enchanting and a standout across the album.” — Far Out Magazine
Full critic consensus
They Are Gutting A Body Of Water's KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II turns a loose, collaborative mixtape format into a showcase for the band's restless imagination. Its 73/100 consensus score across three professional reviews reflects a warmly favorable critical reception: critics praise the collection's spontaneity, eclecticism, and willingness to push beyond conventional indie rock, even as its patchwork character is part of the appeal rather than a bid for LP-like cohesion.
The record moves between shoegaze, hip-hop influence, folk, slowcore, and freaky pop, with collaborators and peers treated as creative kindling. Pitchfork highlights how the band amplifies gentler sounds into distortion and intensity, while Beats Per Minute hears fresh territory in the hip-hop-inflected "yellow dolphins" and "5dime." Across the reviews, community and mutual influence feel central: part label sampler, part B-sides collection, and part meeting place for artists whose sounds get reshaped in the process. That range gives the project its invigorating, sometimes shambolic energy.
For listeners weighing the best songs on KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II, "God's little clown" and "Heart Knower" stand out in the critic notes. The former turns Greg Mendez's folksy melodies toward digital distortion; the latter builds an enchanting, engulfing swell of synths. Far Out also singles out "Baiting Breath" for its captivating, foreboding mood and describes "The Rook" as a shoegaze drone that mutates into a menacing guitar churn. The consensus suggests a rewarding, exploratory listen: less a tightly unified statement than a vivid map of TAGABOW's collaborations, nostalgia, and sonic possibilities.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
sport with Me
paint the bride
rodman
stone driveway bypass (feat. beat fella)
let it kill you
my Happening
5dime
kool marder
a place where
raincheat
the rook
old irish
heart knower
silkscreen rubberhead
yellow dolphins (feat. Izzy Camina)
letter and point
green goblin
illusion hue
happy as a favor
charter spec
am i wrong
baiting breath
size of a building
roku city hardcore
God's little clown
the day the river flows backwards (feat. Sam Lev)
Swoon
town crier
free willy
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
They Are Gutting a Body of Water prove on KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II that indie-rock stardom has yet to water down the band’s prowess. The best tracks on KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II come when they intensify the sounds of their more tender peers: Greg Mendez’s folksy melodies detonate into digital distortion on “God's little clown,” while LUCY’s freaky pop takes a hellish acid trip on “town crier.” “charter spec” ramps up Horse Jumper of Love’s delicate slowcore until it’s unequivocally alive. Equal parts label sampler, B-sides showcase, and assembly of rising stars, the tape savvily presents all the hats Dulgarian simultaneously wears.
Key Points
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“God's little clown” stands out as Greg Mendez's folksy melodies detonate into digital distortion.
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The compilation's core strength is how it brings artists together across genres while pushing TAGABOW's versatility further.
Themes
Critic's Take
They Are Gutting A Body of Water’s KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II has the spontaneity and expansive sense of experimentation that might not show up on a more conventional LP. “yellow dolphins” and “5dime” further flesh out TAGABOW’s connection to hip-hop, each nudging the band toward fresh territory. Shambolic yet frequently invigorating, the project spotlights TAGABOW’s eclecticism and smoldering ambition, as well as their appreciation for community.
Key Points
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“yellow dolphins” stands out as one of the set’s primary successes, fleshing out TAGABOW’s connection to hip-hop with understated riffs and synthy accents.
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The album’s core strengths are its collaborative eagerness, eclecticism, and willingness to let shoegaze, hip-hop, and other impulses mingle.
Themes
Fa
Critic's Take
They Are Gutting a Body of Water’s KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II is a fun, intriguing collection, its patchwork quality conjuring the mixtapes of Dulgarian’s youth. The best songs on KOOL FAITH / LOOSIES II include “Baiting Breath,” captivating and slightly foreboding at once, and “Heart Knower,” enchanting even as its synths swell into an engulfing wave. “The Rook” begins in a classic shoegaze drone before transforming into a menacing churn of guitars that sound an alarm. Together, these tracks offer a glimpse into Dulgarian’s mind, beyond where TAGABOW have travelled sonically before.
Key Points
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“Baiting Breath” stands out for a drum beat that is both captivating and slightly foreboding.
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The album’s patchwork collaborations and shoegaze textures make for a fun, intriguing collection.