Rattle – Rattle

If we’re all merely swinging in the breeze waiting for musical context to latch onto, then the first long-player from this Nottingham two-piece is a curious proposition. Double drum kit, vox and the occasional tendril of ancillary percussion, Rattle emphasises its structured minimalism whilst functioning as a blank canvas, the lack of conventional instrumentation encouraging the listener to interact with the beat on their own terms.

Such an approach doesn’t always work in the album’s favour; awash with snare and cymbal, it’s far from obvious which direction Katharine Eira Brown and Theresa Wrigley are headed, opener Trainer (Get You) progressive yet craving melody.

More successful – particularly during the complex undercurrents of Thunder or the mantra-enhanced Starting – are moments when vocal percussion is added to the mix, the loose harmonies and refracted use of lyrics creating a haze that borders upon the unsettling. An enigmatic listen, crying out for your own reading.