Seefeel

There are, perhaps expectedly, moments where their vision spills over in to wild indulgence, but Seefeel were always going to present a challenge; here that challenge simply equates to a great album earned with time.

Previously known as a band who leaned toward the electronic end of the dreamy, drifty mid-90s shoegaze sound, Seefeel return with a terrific new album that finds them venturing deeper into the leftfield, blurring the lines between guitars and synths further than ever.

There’s something incredibly harsh about Seefeel: not harsh like the apocalyptic strains of Tim Hecker or the ear-bleeding intensity of Yellow Swans, but cold, unwelcoming, indifferent even.

By the time the latter brings Seefeel to a halt courtesy of one final perfunctory squelch, it's evident that even now, almost twenty years since their formation, Seefeel still don't have a conventional creative bone in their collective bodies.

Seefeel is nowhere near the mountainous masterpiece of BoC's best records, but it's pulled off with a respectable professionalism. Richard D James would be proud.

Seefeel is tough, twitchy, unpredictable, full of creative about-turns, obtuse angles and interesting cul-de-sacs. The album is never less than busily creative, all the time stitching new noises into the canvas.

The issue isn't one of an old fan pining for glory days; it's an old fan wondering if Seefeel would deserve notice if it were released by a group of 20-year-olds in New York or London. The answer is yes, I think, but just barely.