Atmospheric
Wild Beasts new, second album continues their journey into expansive, quirky and quietly theatrical territory. Opener ‘The Fun Powder Plot’ starts the album with the tone that continues throughout; gentle and soothing beats and guitars with those trademark falsetto vocals. Lyrically the record is quite interesting and can keep you listening even if the tunes sometimes become a bit too floaty and minimal for your taste.
When their tunes are good they are really good, sweeping and open with echoes and occasionally quirky rhythms break things up. ‘Hooting and Howling’ is one such track with slightly more varied vocals and a simple but very effective riff which pops up here and there to make you sway along. ‘When I’m Sleepy...’ has a simply gorgeous distorted guitar sound near the end and the echo on the guitar throughout ‘Two Dancers (i)’ is beautiful, this track is one of the best on the record with naked drums, a combination of voices and plenty of background fuzz. ‘Two Dancers (ii)’ is also excellent, a shorter and more upbeat version of the same song with a more twinkly guitar sound, less echoes and a stronger melodic feel.
“Two Dancers” has a dream-like, atmospheric quality, but it is very melancholic and often it lulls you into an introspective mood. It certainly is interesting however, and while not catchy in an obvious way it will stay with you because it is incredibly cohesive and the oddly theatrical mood created is darkly compelling and will often call you back in for more.