Austin, Texas’ I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness follow up their highly acclaimed 2003 EP with a two-song single on soon-to-be It label Artikal, and quickly live up to the promise of their brooding and marquee-busting name. Armed with a new line-up, the band purges itself of the pop leanings of the EP in favor of a decidedly darker sound.

“According to Plan” begins with an insistent bass drum, which provides a solid foundation for the plucky E.S.G.-esque bass line. Exercising the
flexibility of the 12” medium, the song unfolds slowly, introducing new sounds and variations every few measures. Christian Goyers vocal musings
fall perfectly over the minimalist backdrop, providing yet another catchy melody. The song strikes a perfect balance between light and darkness, a trait, which proves to be the band's greatest strength.

The single's B-side, the gorgeously desolate “Thoughts on the Floor,” begins with malfunctioning electronics and moody synths. Goyer's reverb-drenched vocals perfectly convey a sense of post-millennial tension. A steady bass drum throb enters to keep the song from collapsing under its own heavy atmospherics, but it soon vanishes to make way for a fallen angel synth patch. The song quickly finds its momentum when all of the instruments return, lead by tear jerking guitar arpeggios. This song is not only brilliant for its masterful use of tension and release, but it also showcases the band's unorthodox but ingenious arranging skills.

With the advent of digital file-sharing, the single has become something of a lost art form, so it is refreshing to see a band fully utilize not only the medium's extended length to push their songwriting skills, but also using the format as a watershed between albums, wherein they can experiment with the trajectory of their sound. If this 12” is an indication of what's to come, you can bet that I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness will soon be the toast of dance floors and darkened bedrooms alike.