Poppy "Zig" (2023)

 

Still one to follow for her creative ensemble of pop sensibilities and abrasive tones, Poppy returns with a similar set of mashed up sounds. As a pleasant vocal presence, one is drawn to the lyrics. Lightly cryptic, suggestive and occasionally humored, they rarely yield depth when wrapped up in a hook or catchy cadence. Her direct words muster more meaning with plain language, however none of it amounted to anything memorable for me. At times, a sense of reaching for a mischievous truth emerges.

Either way, the record doesn't hit on this front and neither does its bass groove oriented stints of cold calculated Electronica. Trading in overdrive guitars for distorted synths, the instrumentals often converge on flickering rhythmic drives, lavished in dispassionate texture, lacking emotion and accompanying melody. On occasion, atmospheric synths layer in some compassion but without its a rather lifeless stint.

After the droning disharmony of Zig passes, Poppy's voice opens up, some songs focusing on her melodies. A pleasant direction but only Motorbike strikes a nerve. Its soft Disco Funk grooves elevate the hook and color the song with an interesting subtle sway. On a better record, this might have been felt as a weak cut. Loaded with mediocrity, Zig was sadly somewhat of a bore, doing little to make itself known.

Rating: 4/10

Narrow Head "12th House Rock" (2020)

 

Wedged between two fine outings, their sophomore effort 12th House Rock fits awkwardly, an anomaly drifted off a fine trajectory. Narrow Head embark on another bash of Grunge revival, shedding the shades of Groove and Nu Metal that perhaps steered them to greatness. With groans and gristle they lean into the textural oddities adjacent to the 90s scene. Reveling in hazy guitar overdrive and other fuzzy distortion effects, both guitars and vocals get a variety of tweaks over a thirteen track course.

On review, this aesthetic dwell is an unsurprising focal point. With their vocal hooks and guitar riffs lacking a spark heard before and after, many songs fall flat on arrival. It leaves ones attention attuned to its many off kilter flaws. On a handful of songs this textural rebellion is its main character, leaving a bitter taste as much fails to resonate.

The potential success of a lacking originality simmers. This revivalist pursuit wears its influences like wounds on occasion, cutting bold and obvious, jarring when a lack of gravitas persists. Hard To Swallow thumps hard, reeking of Helmet syncopation yet Night Tryst sparkles bright, despite utilizing a blatant Smashing Pumpkins blueprint.

For all its nostalgic tint, when components don't quite click, whats left is an infuriating fumble of forms. Enjoyable but barely engrossing, the ideas sought after became more audible than the music itself. Narrow Head didn't sell me on this, thus falling short on many fronts. Not awful but I couldn't get pasts the rotating cast of 90s pitfalls.

Rating: 5/10

Ovlov "Buds" (2021)

Accepting an algorithmically generation suggestion from Spotify, I was pleasantly surprised. American Indie Rock outfit Ovlov's third album is a brief one, only clocking in at twenty four minutes. Its eight cuts all inhabit a shared culture. Humble tones, a rural breeze, simplicity and humility scales into roars of lively dissonance. The group compose human, Folk like songs, driven by warm acoustic shimmering and earnest voices. It all gets whisked into dense frenzies. With a sense of routine, over-driven guitars explode, expanding dynamics and shelling the warmth with swells of fuzz and grit. The frothy distortions challenge the listener with harsh, muddy textures that somehow ooze into the gentle foundations with a thick hazy glow.

Its got charm, a sound that sucks one in! On closer examination, its clearly simplicity in writing that is the winning approach. Much of the esoteric and unusual chemistry is derived from the jagged shoe-gazing textures. They cast a magical spell but underneath, the simplistic short riffs and chord plucking loops are what the songs hinge on with just a few simple constructs at there core. The human, raw, personal feelings emanate from superb vocal harmonizations, conveying emotion with a blunt tunefulness that is never overstated or over engineered. Just the tones alone.

One pointed component that mostly lands are the scratchy, harsh guitar solos. Brief and to the point they rattle off like a flair, grabbing your attention and swiftly fizzling out. With an ear for the noisy and unusual, speedy wild fretboard manipulations rattle off at apt times. Its the lens of texture that they push the limits, peaking the audio and inviting the harshest of sounds. Sometimes they inhabit melody and offer times its an exploration of noise. I mostly enjoyed it but the dissonance wasn't always potent.

Not one considering myself to be "into" Indie Rock, this has certainly challenged my notions. The parts of that genre most recognizable are enjoyable alongside its explorations of Shoegazing and Noise Rock. I'd certainly enjoy more on this track. Not entirely original of groundbreaking, its the execution and earnest, humbling inspiration that makes this music glow. An interesting find! I may explore further.

Rating: 7/10

Poppy "Eat" (2021)

 

Along with Flux, last year also received this brief five track EP with little stylistic affiliation to the latter. As a soundtrack for NXT wrestling, one listen will affirm why. This is possibly Poppy's "heaviest" songs to date, with her upfront deploying some utterly fowl throaty screams that have me concerned for both her vocal chords and the recording equipment. Its rough and raw, much like the instrumentals led by gristly noisy guitar distortions that have a messy tone. We do hear her light and harmonious voice in brief bursts, often in competition with an eruption of wild visceral screams.

The record feels structured to gain more respite and musicality with each passing song beyond Say Cheese, which leans heavily into Metalcore guitar riffs with stomping breakdowns, crunchy riffs and a really odd warbling bass tone. Breeders ropes in a zany synth tone to crank open the song to another dimension of feeling, very much similar to that classic Tubeaway Army song. Each song has its identity, emergent musical ideas executed through a smothering Industrial tinged aesthetic.

Its a riot of creativity, feeling fresh and fun with a lot of energy being thrust forth. Although it leans into my preferred avenue of Metal, these songs feel creative and dynamic, putting up a sound not too many other bands offer in a rather stale scene. She has really scooped up some great musicians with Greatti and Wilcox helping write these feisty songs. I've spun them over and over and they are probably among my favorite songs of hers now. I'd certainly like to hear more on this wavelength.

Rating: 6/10

Mrs. Piss "Self-Surgery" (2020)

Plunging into a world of maniacal self deprecation, Chelsea Wolfe and Jess Gowrie team up for a short collaborative effort. Its sleazy name, grotesque artwork and grim atmosphere make for a wild ride into the depraved. Fulled by Punk adrenaline and noisy instruments the duo put together a mix of Post-Punk, Black Metal and Post-Metal that steps into the bleak shadows but offers a rather grabbing energy in return as its darkly tone is driven by some unexpected great song writing.

Firstly, the combination of Chelsea's haunting voice, hazy like a ghost in the fog with vitriol screams and howls in the backdrop is memorizing in its best moments. The two get loose, toying with reverbs among the barrage of noise. It lets a whole range of approaches light these songs up and the ambiguity fuels the sometimes simplistic, repetitive lyrics, which do not feel as such. Its drives home the filthy themes at play that dip into the ugly and darker corners of the mind. 

Secondly, percussion is king, from the tame, sluggish and brooding sections, up to the fast, energetic, pulse racing patterns, they drive the music forward. Rather than pace keeping, the grooves feel essential, a central part of the composition. Aesthetically they are part of the ugly sprawl of sound, the cymbals heavily clashing in the mix but it plays into the projects charm with enough cushion in its key components to really drive home the deep pushing power they posses.

Behind it all rugged riff driven guitars and powerful pounding bass lines, the occasional synth, brew up the textural treats as they barrage, along with the percussion, walls of dizzying darkness. It puts the record in this unique position of occupying a dark realm without pulling up the usual tropes of blast beats and sinister melodies. Its the ripe chemistry forging an engulfing atmosphere that makes this project work. At just twenty minutes it goes by all to quick. I hope they do more together!

Rating: 7/10

Ruido-mm "Rasura" (2014)

Hailing from Brazil, a fine craft of Post-Rock epic emerges. Rasura is fourth effort over a ten year span and that frequency may speak to the detail and care this record bestows. As an instrumental piece, the depth of instrumentation at work lets a plethora of tones, tangents and threads take limelight on a wholesome journey of warm, engrossing, uplifting atmospheres. Its a canvas for your imagination as emotions are birthed and conceded in the swelling of delicate and delicious deliberations.

Its the typical Post-Rock affair of shimmering guitars wailing in the breeze of their own reverberations, playing with tone and expansive sounds. The record also musters occasional outbreaks of conventional melody, imprinting clear and decisive tunes to hum along with in the wake of the more ambiguous, and scenically poised sound, although it leans to a progressive avenue. All of it is handled with an inspired touch, a organic web of instruments, yielding an ever changing chemistry to excel its vision. It is indeed the strength of the genre, to trade in the flat and equated roll of instruments fitting into structures and instead blossoming sounds into wild blooming adventures.

Rudio-mm achieve this wonderfully. The music will be personal to each individual and I find myself engulfed with a soft, warm earnestness each listen but only up to a point. After the Shoegazing dabble of Filete, the last two songs seem to fumble in pace and the borrowing of famous classical melodies deployed on the keyboard seem grandiose in their moment but pale against a rather dull ten minute stretch. Its an odd fumble but over the months Ive been enjoying this record its always the last fraction of the music that looses me. Otherwise its pretty fantastic and memorable!

Favorite Tracks: Electrostatica, Cromaqui, Filete

Rating: 7/10

Sleepy Sun "Embrace" (2009)

With greatness among my expectations, a step back to the debut record from Californian Psychedelic Rock outfit Sleepy Sun has felt like one too. Lurking in the shadows of Fever, this album was initially underwhelming in its similarities, the same sword swung with a duller blade. Many of the same key shifts, chord arrangements and harmonies occupy a well established aesthetic that runs parallel. Its jam sections, indulgences with noise and unwinding atmospheres pool from the same source yet despite wanting more of that Fever magic, it isn't quite here. I can't put my finger on the distance, is it familiarity? The folly of working in reverse? After a myriad of attempts with this record I make peace with my mediocre enjoyment of it.

The band have a beautiful aesthetic in some compositions, a soothing persuasion, soft and warm vocal phrases, gentle dusty guitars and a measured percussion that adds up to a subtle psychedelic intoxication. They also like to lean brazen on dirty distortion tones in the energetic swells of madness. It is that aspect that didn't pull off so well on this record. Its hypnotic tracks like Golden Artifact gleam in the light but the grit and gristle of mean fuzzy overdriven tones sound loose and unfocused on the other end of the spectrum with a song like Redblack.

The album doesn't get much of a flow going with the disharmony of their abrasive side interrupting the swells of mood and atmosphere some passageways cultivate. White Dove does a great job at defining an equilibrium as its opposites converge on a mighty grooving guitar riff but its lengthy nine minutes journey looses structure delving into a tangent that doesn't lead anywhere. Ive tried my best with this one and despite much similarity it feels like the musics core is missing something the next record will gain in abundance! For now I will move forward to their third.

Favorite Tracks: Lord, Golden Artifact

Rating: 6/10

Daughters "You Wont Get What You Want" (2018)

This record record requires a patient listener. Its gloomy, gaunt and desolate persona leaves little room between the dread and imminent doom it poses. You Wont Get What You Want is the American Noise Rock bands fourth album. Its a theater of darkness, a journey into fear and paranoia that drags you down with it. With little in the way of melody or uplift, bombast or groove, one may ask what is the appeal? Where other music may use darkness as its gloss, Daughters find their way straight to the core with unforgiving sounds of mental torment that do not use the common cheap tricks.

A logical comparison would be Swans, the godfathers to this repent-less style of atmospheric music. And that is the key word, atmosphere. As the motions become ingrained the overall feeling of this record emerges with a touch of class. Bold bass lines, meaty industrious drum patterns and the desperate cries of singer Marshall over the front act like the musical framework for an array of maddening sound to assault. Its these tense and eerie siren like sounds that play like alarm bells in the mind of a deranged individual that carve the vision of a harrowing within.

Initially I found the music uncomfortable, invasive and daunting but that is precisely its purpose. Many of the cuts have this unsettling spiraling sequence of notes played through peaked and distorted environments that play into the smothering atmosphere. It actually takes about twelve minutes or so for the music to give some respite as a gleaming melody bursts into life on Satan In The Wait. It has a mirage like quality as it dissipates behind these sirens of dread wailing like all in closing in on you. Other parts have varying degrees of intensity but the whole thing plays as one experience.

Its a theatrical trip, that concludes with many of its recurring sounds amassing into a cacophony of madness on its closer Guest House. Initially tricky to find your way in, its the sort of record that requires the right mood but once the door creeks ajar it doesn't take long for it to burst open. I like to get through records and its time for me to move forward but this is another album I'm convinced every listen would make me love it more. Its journey into dark side of the mind is engulfing and savage, unforgiving, a wild ride that's worth your time if your into the power of doom and gloom.

Rating: 7/10

Death Grips "Year Of The Snitch" (2018)

One of my most anticipated records this year has now arrived and with it comes that familiar Death Grips experience again. Initially alien, esoteric and bizarre, the music plays like a morbid curiosity, an avant-garde experiment into the estranged and then after some time it suddenly clicks into place, you feel as if you have known these songs forever. After the banging, fan pleasing Bottomless Pit the Sacramento trio return to their more adventurous side with an another unusual musical construct that echos some of their Exmilitary roots former glory.

Year Of The Snitch is primarily an aesthetic experience with its rich and vivid tapestries of synths, samples and unusual sounds that approach from all manor of odd angles as you would expect. The performance drumming of Zach Hill livens up the musics texture as the songs interchange between some tightly sequenced kits and his frenetic drumming, making itself know with fast shuffling grooves and fills in and among the chaos of sound one has to unpackage. Mostly the programmed drums hold down tempos and help along the experience with synthetic, quirky kits as opposed to pumping out grooves and energy like the previous record.

MC Ride is fantastic across this project, his lyrics are typically cryptic, quotable and require some thought as per usual but on this release specifically there is a strong mix of freedom, creativity and energy. All of his vocals feel free from any burden, Ride has and endless stream of ideas for delivery and flow that holds nothing back. The use of reverb, voice modulation, sampling, pitch manipulation and scratching enriches the already individual experience as a tapestry of voices emerge in bursts throughout the record around his main vocal line.

The trio demonstrate their growing chemistry as all the ideas on this record come together so cohesively, Rides vocal performance seems to melt into the detailed, layered instrumentals. As per usual wide range of sounds come together in a mania of variety and oddities and once again they find their own dimension, this may be in part to the striking return of rock guitars that throw back to the debut Exmilitary mixtape. There is also a noticeable sampling and snippets of vocals and sounds from their older songs thrown in the mix, giving it a stronger link.

All in all, Year Of The Snitch masters the side of Death Grips I have not been keen on so far. Ive loved the band when they strike with a touch of groove and those banging percussive beats but projects like Jenny Death that steer away from this backbone have yet to dazzle. In this instance I think the group found a balance that really works and loaded it with a depth of texture that really takes up your attention when focusing on the details in sound. The atmosphere they create and what all that madness adds up to is a wonderfully odd and unusual, a cluster of emotions drifting through the cosmic void.

Favorite Tracks: Death Grips Is Online, Black Paint, The Fear, Disapointed

Rating: 8/10

The I.L.Y.S "Bodyguard" (2017)

The I.L.Y.S are back with their third full length release! Two thirds of the legendary Death Grips, this Sacramento duo brings some of the bizarre oddities to a experimental Noise Rock setting. Bodyguard is seemingly more of the same but with more accustomed ears, Psychedelic Rock and other branches in the Rock umbrella become more apparent in a release that's toned down its Industrial and Punk leanings. There's a lot of conventional riffs, tricks, progressions and styles at work here yet its packaged with subtle electronics and interesting production choices that yield a slightly unconventional aesthetic as unusual sounds enter the fold. It has a rather tame tone in comparison to what they did with Ive Always Been Good At True Love.

Unfortunately my reaction to this record is muted. Mediocrity reigns supreme even though there is a lot of interesting and charming chemistry here. The bests moments or "hooks" seem to have a golden gloss to them, always feeling reminiscent of music from eras gone by. These moments of intrigue and curiosity are quite possibly dispelled by the vocals as my interest in the music never solidifies into a emotional response. The lyrical aspect of the record drifts in one ear and out the other, one string of words stuck, "like sperm on a hi-hat" purely for being rather bizarre.

The singing style doesn't resonate, it lacks power and oomph, the acoustic fidelity questionable as the words tend to level out with the other instruments, sucking the life out their contribution. In general its a disappointment that's not apparent. A seemingly reasonable experience that's entirely forgettable once the next record comes on. There are echos of good ideas here but the execution just isn't up to it.

Rating: 3/10

Milk Teeth "Smiling Politely" (2013)

There's not much I could say Milk Teeth's debut EP that I haven't said about their sound already. I wanted to get through all the bands releases and was surprised to hear them establish themselves so clearly two years before Sad Sack. Perhaps I was expecting something a little more primitive, rawer, a prototype of sorts that you can often encounter on a bands first record. The flimsy album cover may of given me that impression, a 60's psychedelia inspired font for the logo and Poochie the dog with his surfboard, the third character from Itchy & Scratchy that Homer Simpson voiced. Its bland pink and white minimalism not much of an appetizer for the music inside.

These songs are as alike as whats to come, Grungy 90s tunes with a hint of Punk Rock and a mild measure of nostalgia. They would slip right in, so much so the song "Swear Jar" explains the "(Again)" appendix on Vile Child, where it was re-recorded. All that can be said is the production, aesthetics, have a little less polish, some roughness around the edges mostly heard in the guitar distortions. Every other aspect falls into place, enthusiastic drumming, passionate shouts and singing, quite interesting to hear the guitar chemistry so potent from the get go. Lots of grooving, moving guitars interlaced with moody effect soaked leads that have a real emotional weight to them. Solid debut, shame about the awful cover.

Rating: 5/10

Favorite Tracks: Wizzard Battle, Grease

Milk Teeth "Sad Sack" (2015)

Fresh faced and full of youth, Bristol based rockers Milk Teeth capture that early 90s Grunge scene energy with a refreshing measure of emotional substance and riveting aesthetics that you can sink your teeth into, excuse the pun. Released nine months earlier than their debut full length "Vile Child", Milk Teeth's second EP is probably my favorite so far. With just half the tracks we get six killer songs of distortion driven angsty introspection that doesn't let up with any solely acoustic songs. As a short record it flows perfectly and much that's to be said about the band and their aesthetic Ive said before. Id be repeating myself, as any song on "Sad Sack" could be switched seamlessly into "Vile Child".

Each song has something that makes it tick, gives it an edge. The record winds down with the atmospheric, moody "Trampoline" which indulges itself in Ethereal reverb soaked acoustic chords before exploding into an extravagant riff with complimenting lead guitar amplifying the feels. "Vitamins" kicks it off with lively, pumping drums beats and feedback driven guitar noise between the crunchy riffs. "Melon Blade" tweaks the effects pedals to give the guitars an insular tonal sound that illuminates between the "crooked spoon" lyrics. Because the band tweak their distortions track to track, loading each one with all sorts of subtle, sometimes obvious noises and manipulations of sound, the songs become rampant with energy and there character is magnified as the riffs are brought to life with more than just a chord arrangement. That's there charm and on this EP its loaded from start to end.

Rating: 7/10

Milk Teeth "Vile Child" (2016)

Thanks to Youtubes wonderful auto play feature, my recent discovery of revivalist Puppy led me to another group, English four piece Grunge rockers, Milk Teeth. In similar spirit they capture the essence of that 90s sound, once again without stepping on toes. Most comparatively Nirvana may spring to mind in their more energetic songs but they stand on their own two feet with twelve tracks of angsty, emotional, introspective music that drifts between anger and melancholy with the craft for direct, moshable rock out songs and breaks for atmospheric numbers too.

The groups guitar tones are dynamite, a very inviting fuzz of overdrive with a tinge from various effects pedals, filling the airwaves with the warm buzzing of noisy power chord shredding. With slightly dissonant leads they cascade through wall of sound in the moments they break away with moving harmonizations. American singer Blomfield, presumably by accent, captures that youthful young adult mind with lyrics revolving around the internal struggle of thought and the need to fill the hole in ones head, her voice, soft, sincere and with a bite when the agression kicks in. On a couple other songs another band member takes up vocal duty with strained, thin shouts and screams, off note and seemingly awful they somehow work wonders with the energy of the music and despite there rough, abrasiveness are quite the spark where they turn up. Its a raw honesty that makes it work.

Kicking off with their most upfront songs the later half of the record tones down the aggression for more acoustic chords a Post-Rock like sections, giving ear to the raw chunky bass guitar rattling away below. The drums too are lively and energetic but didn't do too much to grab my attention, a sign to me they are doing just the right thing in each moment. The four a fantastic chemistry together, their aesthetic compensates simplistic song structures and the guitar leads continually climax the songs when they breakaway. I can't get enough of this record right now. Luckily they have a couple of EPs in the back catalog.

Favorite Songs: Brickwork, Burger Drop, Brain Food, Cut You Up

Rating: 7/10

The I.L.Y.S "I've Always Been Good At True Love" (2015)

The I.L.Y.S are an Experimental Rock duo from Sacramento consisting of drummer Zach Hill and guitarist Andy Morin. Essentially they are two third of Death Grips, one of the most exciting new bands Ive heard, this bands identity resembles the group in its attraction to dissonant sounds and odd ball nature, the songs feel similar too however don't carry quite the same weight. This is the first of two records, a short one too at just under thirty minutes, which delves into arty, noisy aesthetic led tangents of Noise Rock and Grunge with a raw Punk attitude. Between it all electronic sounds mingle and intensify, giving much depth to the sound.

At first glance its a noisy mess of oddities but in a similar fashion to Death Grips, strange musical ideas emerge from the chaos. Simple and pleasing rhythms, grooves and riffs are abstracted by crooked distortions, bending and manipulating most aspects bar the drums. "Specalized" takes breathing, half spoken noises as musical samples and the tracks words are indistinguishable in moments. This waves of sounds are heard in excessive vocal revebs and the noisy guitars which utilize very half measured, dissonant, almsot plastic like distortions. Trying to pick it apart is quite the task as each song takes a different approach to the construct of its instruments. Ultimately they end up forming a coherent songs with an musical objective to relate to than its noisy exterior as the guitar riffs, for the most part, lead the songs.

With "Bubble Letters" the energy picks up for a moment as they push into party territory, that song and the following reminding me fondly of early 90s The Prodigy of all things. That's the records best moment as the rest of it is reasonable, to be fair these songs are quiet exciting in your first few listens, there's a lot going on and its all a blur. Getting familiar with them is fun but once the unpredictability wears off and the confusing aesthetics no longer creates a sense of excitement, the core music is rather simple and not particularly grabbing. Personally I feel as is too much focus on exteriors, the internal music is lacking in lasting substance, otherwise it could be a recipe for success.

Favorite Tracks: Articulate, Bubble Letters, Specialized, All She Does Is Kill Shit

Rating: 5/10

Savages "Silence Yourself" (2013)

Taking a step back to their debut record we check out the UK based Post-Punk revival band Savages critically acclaimed arrival onto the music scene. With three years between it and the brilliant "Adore Life" the bands identity and defined sound remains as firmly in place as its successor with little evolution between the two. Its another riveting collection of brooding songs that shimmer in the darkness as grey, and cloudy aesthetics let a myriad of energy emanate from within through its grisly exterior.

With retrospect I hear a rawer expression at work, bolder, daring and noisy but with less craft for the subtleties and focused song writing on what was to follow. With that comes a few track that delve deeper into atmospheres of struggle and conflict and others that play fearlessly with lively, excessive noise. Beyond its differences a lot of these tracks feel interchangeable with "Adore Life" and stir up many similar feelings, thoughts and emotions.

I do feel that singer Jehnny Beth has more energy and strength in her performances, although singing with the same attitude one can feel more energy and passion for most these songs. Even in her softer moments she sounds more involved. The instrumentation and production is on par and I'm left with not much more to say about what isn't a wildly different record. I do feel the bands songs are a shell to be cracked, the sort that take time to fully appreciate. For the many times ill be enjoy their records in the future, I hope to understand the depths they clearly offer.

Favorite Tracks: Shut Up, She Will, No Face, Dear Marshall

Rating: 8/10

Savages "Adore Life" (2016)

London based group Savages are Post-Punk four piece band who were put on my radar by Henry Rollins. Ive already heard reviews that this record isn't on par with their debut released three years ago but this is where I wanted to start. A fair few songs from this record were played at a concert I watched on youtube. That alone convinced me there was something special about this band who labeled as "Post-Punk revival" have the sound and spirit of that era coursing through all aspects of their music, with exception to the recording quality that makes no attempt to downgrade the fidelity.

This record comes across in tones of grey, deep dark blues and browns, muted colors that reflect the records pale and grim tone. Bleak and distant on the outside much energy, life and charisma rumbles within and flourishes through the dark, drab walls they are contained within. Its a unique chemistry of contrast and subversion, like a limbo or purgatory suspended between two states. This feeling runs through the entire record which is brimming with identity and originality as not a passing moment feel stale or repetitive. Its organic and in a state of perpetual growth.

The group approach their respective instruments like weapons of noise with whaling feedback loops used for atmosphere, crashing thunderous distortions and the sounds of pick sliding down the strings soaked in reverb paint dense atmospheres. A simple riff isn't enough and beside the guitars expanded sound the baselines rock hard with bold, rumbling, burgeoning lines that make there-self known at every moment. To often in music the base mirror guitars but not here where we get the fullest extent of the base holding its own ground and being a crucial part of how the songs come together.

The drums are equally in a creative air, each moment interesting and inventive. The kits sound lacks reverb which works well against the mammoth guitars and the snare compression gives the harder rolls some serious punch and power. In front of it all singer Jehnny Beth brings a subdued attitude through her soft voice with a delivery that doesn't strive for big notes or showoff theatrics but finds a poetic, artistic expression with the occasional scream buried under the other instruments. On "Surrender" she shows her range with a passionate delivery for a memorable hook on the records best song. "Adore Life" is stunning for its variety, consistency and characteristics that demand a full play through from the listener, which each song offering up something you cant pass on.

Favorite Song: Surrender

Rating: 8/10