A Post-Everything Noise Infusion
Soaring harmonic vocals mix with careening knife-edge guitar work on this highly impressive debut album.
'The Loveliest Alarm' mixes tripping drum beats with stirring, dark guitar ruminations to great effect, while 'Wardens' mixes the obscure lyricism and chiming melodies of Bloc Party with a harder edge that fulfils all the promises it makes.
A lush wave of all consuming aural stimulation signals the end of 'Sabbatical' and beginning of the fast-paced hypnotic pop number, 'He Shoots Presidents' which channels a punk dissidence in more than its anarchic lyrics, this is one of the most mainstream tracks but that's no bad thing as it's pretty catchy with it.
'Cabin Hum' gives the delirious guitars a break for a while, constructing a slow and menacing rhythm between pacing electro drum sounds and a rhythmic ebbing and flowing guitars. 'Catscan' introduces a new concept to post-punk anguish rock: handclaps! This unexpected addition proves that this band don't want to a share of Leeds mates' Forward Russia's sound and are ready to concoct their own recipe for success.
Somewhere between ethereal musings and post-rock guitar wanderings 'Baby Machine' explodes into a compulsive listen with a visceral appeal. At times euphoric, but always brimming with force, clarity and having something to say, This Et Al have an album that should definitely be appreciated.