The torch of emo has not yet been extinguished, and Pillow Talk are just one shining example of the genre’s continued malleability. Just last year the Memphis quintet self-released Recreational Feelings, a fuzzy collection of punk- and hardcore-influenced songs, with flanged-out guitars reminiscent of UK alt-rock pioneers of the ’80s. At the same time, it was the classic emo formula, a backdrop for the self-deprecating confessions of vocalist Josh Cannon. Their upcoming EP, What We Should Have Said, expands on this sound with a broadened production palette. Cannon’s expressive wail sounds more self-assured now, coated in thick ambience and folded into a soundscape that’s indebted to the swirling, glittery guitars of the Cure and the hopeless reverb of My Bloody Valentine. The EP’s first single, “Room,” epitomizes this delicate balance between the jangling heartbrokenness of the Smiths, the bleakness of shoegaze, and the rawness of ’90s emo lyricism. You can stream the EP below.

What We Should Have Said is out 3/3 on Animal Style Records. Pre-order it here.