Two years on from their sophomore album, The Grand Scheme of Things, the Bristol-based misery merchants return with Not A Sound In Heaven. Written and recorded almost simultaneously, they have opted for a raw and organic approach to crafting their third album. Foregoing the conventional tripartide of write, rehearse and record, they have captured the essence of these seven songs as immediately and urgently as possible. Recorded live and without click tracks, resulting in a record that captures all of the intensity and gravity of the Sugar Horse live experience.
Across the likes of opener ‘Fire Graphics’ and latest single ‘Ex-Human Shield’ they draw you in with downtuned, subterranean, groove heavy riffs, chastising capitalism and its many warmongering figureheads. You may think you know what to expect but by the time ‘History’s Biggest T-Shirts’ rolls around, it’s abundantly clear that the band are reaching towards grander things this time out.
From hulking industrial grooves to serene synths ‘History’s Biggest T-Shirts’ marks a turning point in the album. Exemplified by its dreamlike mid-sequence, most of its hefty runtime is spent lathered in ambient droning sounds and a wall of saturated guitar effects. The band showcase their most conventional, pop songwriting to date on the title track; Soaring, anthemic and surpisingly pretty, it should feel jarring and yet, somehow they pull it off. Sugar Horse simply love to smash together seemingly disparate ideas. Rather than pull the rug out from under you though, the enormous range of dynamics that they employ takes them from near-silence to surreal, reverb-drenched refrains and pulverising riffs. Even when smashing together such wildly different influences, their songwriting approach always feels sincere, and it is for that reason that they can pull off such startling shifts in tone.
“Sugar Horse paint with myriad colours, crafting a sound that is eclectic and playful but never loses that visceral and cutting edge.”
Electronic influences buzz around this whole record, like a swarm of hornets, but not in a cliche way, no, it’s clear that the band have been drawing from a broad variety of influences lately. From the trip-hop infused drum machines of ‘Secret Speech’ and the doomy Nine Inch Nails-esque stomp of ‘Company Town’ to the modern philosophy and political theory that make up much of the lyrical content, Sugar Horse paint with myriad colours, crafting a sound that is eclectic and playful but never loses that visceral and cutting edge.
Perhaps the only criticism that could be made is that, due to the very urgent manner in which the band have recorded the album, the performances can, at times, be a bit loose. Still, if its a choice between capturing the emotional weight of the material or achieving the most polished, sanitised version of it then it’s no choice at all.
The album diminuendos in a way that takes both bravery and skill to accomplish, and the closing moments of ‘You Can’t Say Dallas Doesn’t Love You’ showcase both of these virtues in droves, a gentle tonic to the crushing weight of their enormous riffs. Not A Sound In Heaven practically begs to be replayed. Soak it all in one more time and see if you don’t sleep a little more easily tonight.
Easily their most direct and confrontational album to date. Sugar Horse would like a word with the ones in power. Care to listen to what they’ve got to say?