Brothers V2/Co-Op ****

There's a noticeable pep in the step of The Black Keys these days. Attack & Release, their Danger Mouse-produced last record, and the Blakroc album of hip-hop collaborations saw Ohio duo Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach venturing beyond their comfort zone. Album No 6 finds them in Alabama's Muscle Shoals Sound studio soaking their patented spikey, stomping blues with soulful vibes. The results are marvellous, with Carney and Auerbach more than happy to take their foot off the accelerator to let the songs breathe and the space between the notes work some magic. Yet for all those tracks where the pace and pitch allow ghostly sounds to dominate ( Never Gonna Give You Up, Tighten Up), the Keys can still build up a head of steam, as the voodoo-blues splendour of Howlin' for Youshows. A playful, intriguing pleasure. See theblackkeys.com

Download tracks: Howlin' for You