Arc finds EE consolidating their sonic adventurer stature with a slightly more focused approach. Do they pull it off?
Even the kitchen sink was fearful of unrequested tinkering at the hands of EE on their Mercury-nominated debut. Arc finds the Manchester art-rockers less greedy, but just as adventurous.
The convulsive, jerkily enjoyable opener Cough Cough, for example, splices spidery synths and spindly guitar with choppy rhythm changes and Jonathan Higgs’ falsetto – a constant, occasionally grating feature.
This precision-engineered record, which boasts a worthwhile second disc of remixes and offcuts, takes cues from Bloc Party and Vampire Weekend while carving a resolutely singular path.
There’s splashy, abrasive production at times, but then there’ll be a widescreen Feet For Hands, with twinkling, softened guitar and pulsing drums, a cold and windswept Undrowned or a tender, low-key The Peaks to ponder on.
Adventurous, bold, sometimes over-extended and not always cohesive, Arc is nonetheless an exciting, vital album.
3 stars
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