Dikembe "Chicago Bowls" 7" (Tiny Engines)

It was surprising to virtually no one - save for Dikembe itself - that the band's debut EP, Chicago Bowls, in all its anthemic, adrenalized indie-cum-emo / punk greatness, took the underground by storm in 2011. After all, the ironic, pun-laden ode to weed and arguably (and less ironically) the greatest championship squad in NBA history was a breath of fresh air … playful, charismatic and downright infectious without emitting an ounce of pretension. A few weeks after the digital-only release, the Gainesville quartet, which features member of Wavelets, Senders and The Young Hookers, found itself buried under heaps of praise and viral buzz from fans and critics alike. Of course, Chicago Bowls was more than deserving of the adoration, serving up four revelatory cuts of undeniable, high energy DIY rock 'n' roll, equally impressive for its sublime instrumental interplay and inventive structures as it was for the insightful, slightly acerbic lyrical content. Cajoling the listener to laugh along with song titles such as "Scottie Spliffen" and "Michael Jordank," there was no doubt that Dikembe's playful nature was an integral part of its singular sound. The band of course followed up Chicago Bowls with the highly acclaimed debut full-length, Broad Shoulders, in 2012. While the band has hunkered down to write and record their sophomore full-length, Tiny Engines will give Chicago Bowls a proper vinyl release for the first time. The label will release a remastered version of the 4-song EP on 7" vinyl (rolling papers not included) in the Spring of 2013. Get spliffed!