The Last Sound – Coruscate (Fort Evil Fruit)

A quick mention for one of my favourite Irish bands of the last five years. Dublin’s The Last Sound which is organised mainly around the activities of one man Barry Murphy.

Coruscate (the 7th album by my count) came out just before Christmas and is another particularly dreamy outpost of industrial pop. A gorgeous kosmische drift in among the clangs and propulsive motorik rhythms. A step on from 2013’s brilliant Rainbow Xplode (review here - there seems to have been another album in between which I missed).

Again there’s a kind of wide eyed innocence at play – some might call it psychedelic. Bursts of filtered guitars and synths swaying in and out of focus around relentless backbeats.

‘Song of praise’ and ‘Found a rainbow’ are early standouts both full of thrumming bass. Dancefloor classics basically although maybe a more discerning than most kind of dancefloor.

The vocals especially get hold. There’s something poignant about them swamped in a murky wash shoegaze style. But stoically they rise up. They just keep on.

I love the ambient ache of ‘Coarse spun strings’, smears of bass hum acrfoss sparkles of melody.

And the great new wave clatter of ‘Tether reined’. Another killer pop tune in an unlikely setting.

There are probably fewer all out pop songs here than on Rainbow Xplode but there is still no shortage of hooks and anthems actually. And a general hazy meandering demeanour which I find very endearing.

Plus there’s so much depth and texture to the album that it’s a joy in any case.

A beautiful record.