Islet / Illuminated People

Islet

Illuminated People

(Shape)

* * *

Islet are a band focused very much on the idea that music need not be restricted to formulaic genres and endless categorisation. This is certainly not a new concept and carrying off the idea well has traditionally been achieved with great difficulty or otherwise met with spectacular failure.

If nothing else then, it shows astounding ambition to kick off their debut with the nine minute opus 'Libra Man'. Even more surprisingly the track manages to hold your attention well as it skips like a stone across a pond through reverb soaked guitars, off-kilter drums and Curtis-like anti-choral vocals.

'This Fortune', the upcoming single from the album, drags you through a forest of up-tempo, overdriven guitar and simultaneously surrounds you with a peculiarly angelic choir of banshee wails. And that in itself is the very essence of Islet: strange instrumentation and experimental noise should not have to give way to catchy, simplistic, Rage-flavoured riffs of the like that pump through the veins of 'What We Done Wrong' and bookend 'Entwined Pines'.

However, the first half is very much let down by the second. Save for the semi-summery, Vampire Weekend inspired 'Funicular', the record loses pace and with it goes all the charm and character of the opening tracks.