As the drums on opening track Brainfreeze manically begin, connections to Kate Bush's Sat in Your Lap and the sound of a building site begin to emerge. And it just gets better. The Bristol duo's third record, after Street Horrrsing (2008) and Tarot Sport (2009), suggests an ever-expanding ambition. Most of their compositions are long but never indulgent. Year of the Dog finds a violin struggling to get through droning electronics, and The Red Wing picks up where Dilla left off, with a pleasing breakbeat anchoring a heavy-sounding synth. The chaotic, industrial-sound of Sentients morphs into an alt.hymn, and Prince's Prize is a psychedelic take on 8-bit. Stalker is a glitchy, rich, synth-based soundtrack to the end of the world. Hidden XS, with percussion that resembles a heartbeat, and a mournful, moving melody, is the highlight of what is surely one of the records of the year.
Download: Year of the Dog, The Red Wing, Hidden XS