A little over a decade ago, a brand new scene of instrumental-based rock exploded across Ireland. Kickstarted by the likes of Some Days Better/We Are Knives, it was advanced by acts like Wexford’s Adebisi Shank, who took those sounds and values and brought them to the stratospheres. Already the yard-stick by which others bands are measured, their long-awaited third record sees them reinvent themselves again, with a dizzying collection of impeccably performed, euphoric, cosmic math rock songs.
Conceived in a secluded house in the wilds of Co. Wicklow, this is a phantasmagorical listening experience. The kind of album that Mario and Luigi would put on their Walkmen before indulging in some dangerous driving, its nine tracks are inspired variously by video games, dance, funk, rock, prog and more. Constantly uplifting and at times brilliantly barmy (‘Mazel Tov’ is a horn-laden, ‘80s funk-punk offering that might divide some and ‘Chaos Emeralds’ reminds me of Kenny Loggins’ ‘Danger Zone ‘ in places and, yes, that’s a good thing), the slab of wax is like a mega-burger from Man Vs Food. There’s much to sink your teeth into.
‘Sensation’ is a ‘90s dance-indebted, gloriously groovy collision of sounds; the vocoder-based ‘Big Unit’ is as immense as the title suggests; and the Lizzy-like ‘Voodoo Vision’ is an epic which takes all the best bits of metal, glam and math rock and creates something new. A record which rewards the listener with repeat spins, album number three by the ‘Shank is worth the four year wait. Oops they did it again.