Hidden

At some point in the planning stages, These New Puritans front man Jack Barnett must have said: 'Okay, we can either stick to our guns, make another pretty-decent record, or we can go for broke'. I mean, how else does writing a collection of songs around a bassoon come about? Bravado is always easier from the sidelines; that is, don’t dismiss the idea of making Beat Pyramid Part 2 out of hand. After all, TNPS’ debut was actually better than pretty-decent, ticking all the right electro-pop boxes. Mark E Smith vocals, scratchy Gang of Four guitars and strident synth rhythms jostled for space in a strangely evocative way. To be sure, Beat Pyramid was a promising shot across the bow, but no one could have predicted the carpet bombing TNPS intended to unleash.

Don’t let the name throw you. On Hidden, These New Puritans show an enthusiasm for sound so intense it suggests a band in the fullest throes of gluttony or lust.

Check out “We Want War”, the first complete song on Hidden. It’s anchored by a huge and ornate percussion arrangement combining bass-heavy hip-hop beats, Japanese Taiko drums, and mysterious metallic scraping noises. The main harmonic element is a ho rn and woodwind ensemble weaving ambiguous harmonies in a neo-romantic, almost classical style. Also present are synthesized horns, squelchy dancefloor bass, strings, a choir, distorted voice samples, and probably six or seven other improbably awesome things harder to pick out of the mix. Over the course of seven and a half minutes, these sounds bleed in and out, interacting in obscure ways before leaving surreptitiously, sometimes to return at an unexpected point later on. It’s a stunning way to kick off an album; as a statement of intent, it’s incredibly ambitious, serving notice that no sound is off-limits.