Panda Kopanda are an alt-rock quartet from Belfast whose mission statement declares that they were 'born out of necessity'. Formed in 2002, Gavin Reid, brothers Jonny and David Agnew and John Mills released their first EP 'The Letting Go' last year; in 2006, up-and-coming indie label cableattack! approached them with an offer to fund a second release. The fruits of that partnership, The Ocean of Fire EP, is a fine example of quirky indie; a five-track taster of a band who claim that the DIY ethos has become a way of life. Opener About My Temper is a clear standout , its jarring guitars and sombre tones contrasted with a funky little beat, and Reid's gorgeous, hushed vocals just the right side of offbeat menace. Both Ocean of Fire and Spiderwebs in Empty Homes swap subtle experimentation for sparse instrumentation and tenuous harmonies, while Open Ground swings loosely and darkly through a swathe of disquiet. An impressive, if slightly invariable effort - but something tells me that Panda Kopanda can do better than this. www.pandakopanda.com