It’s a tough time to be in a rock band. Conyers, GA foursome Cartel have lived the downside of the music industry bubble, both metaphoric and literal. Now three albums and an EP into a rollercoaster career that’s taken them from half-empty bars to TRL and halfway back, and from indie The Militia Group to major label Epic to indie-major Wind-up Records, they’ve opted to go it alone, self-releasing their latest EP, In Stereo. But while Cartel are now theoretically free to do whatever they want, don’t expect any major surprises here. In Stereo is the logical successor to the retrenchment of 2009’s Cycles, a slightly-further-reaching follow up from a band with a clear sense of who they are.

There’s nothing on In Stereo as grandiose as the champagne supernova of Cartel’s “If I Were To Write The Song,” nothing as experimental as Chroma’s “Q” & “A” suite. In Stereo focuses on the variations possible within the three-minute pop-punk song formula rather than ranging outside of it. To that end, “Conduit” features some of the band’s most aggressive guitar sounds to date, with a spacey, echoed-and-delayed lead that darts and dodges around the song’s groove. The verses of “American Dreams” verses stomp forward like distant cousin of Chroma’s “Matter Of Time;” the tight reins on their vocal melody make the track’s breezy chorus soar all the higher in contrast.

But while it’s good (and undoubtedly healthy) to see Cartel peeking around new corners of their playground, the band are at their best in their thoroughly established comfort zone. Opening track “Lessons In Love” could be a long-lost song from the Chroma sessions, a hard charger with a classic Will Pugh vocal lead, tight chorus harmonies and an apple-crisp bass line—the band seems to have weathered the departure of bassist Jeff Lett without missing a beat). And closer “Something To Believe” is as perfect as pop-punk gets, the sort of driving hope anthem that exemplifies the genre at its pleasurable (and functional!) apex.

In Stereo’s title track, the album’s emotional heart, plays as one part band history, one part searing industry critique and one part self-directed pep talk, all dropped on top of a raucous pogo backbeat. Cartel clearly know where they’ve come from; consider In Stereo an assured, enjoyable first step towards wherever they’re going to. ★★★.5/★★★★★

*This review was composed by Jesse Richman