Bear In Heaven – Time Is Over One Day Old

Bear In Heaven's fourth album is often shrewdly crafted. Each track is guided by a clean, simple melodic progression, Jon Philpott's vocals polished until they gleam. The lyrics are elliptical far less often than they are direct. Bear In Heaven brocade that simple construction with complex sound design, aided in no small part by guitarist Adam Wills. His playing is restrained but beautifully economical throughout, steering away from the bombast of Beast Rest Forth Mouth and I Love You, It's Cool's soaring highlights in favour of intricate, effects-driven stitch-work.

There are moments of electro-pop perfection (If I Were To Lie, Demon). The sun-drenched, synth-driven shoegaze of They Dream is beautifully realised. There are still flaws; where the album meanders, it drifts, or glitters too brightly. However, Way Off, the standout track, is subtler but just as thrilling as Lovesick Teenagers. A band still finding their way perhaps, but rarely missing their mark.