Pivot - O Soundtrack My Heart

‘Soundtrack’, it seems, is the operative word for this second album from antipodean electro-garage rockers Pivot. Opening duo In The Blood and the title track bluster in with all the menace of a John Carpenter theme tune pulled apart by Battles after having watched Flash Gordon a bit too much. The deft handling of ostensibly dance and rock dynamics is Pivot’s trump card, to the point that such distinctions sit awkwardly when describing it. The flow of styles and emotional highs and lows is seamless, further bolstering that ‘imaginary soundtrack’ feeling. Getting signed to Warp must have been a real triumph for brothers Richard and Laurence Pike, as you can hear the influential label's back catalogue shining throughout. However, Pivot bring more than enough to the table themselves. Definitely one to savour on a late night on your own, with your headphones on, as a futuristic dystopian world slowly crumbles outside your window. [Darren Carle]