Gentle Friendly - Rrrrrrr (Vinyl LP)

The ever canny Upset Di Riddim, London's purveyors of noisy outsider rock and interesting experimental pop have a new vinyl outing from Gentle Friendly. I cannot clearly recall a great deal about the last recording from this cracking duo except it was very well received in our old office and got played oodles of times due to it rocking the joint like a schizo gallop-pop horse on PCP. This joint goes down a more mellow, spaced-out shimmery pop route for the larger duration of side one before this floppy-eyed fuzzed-up groove hits you for the last few minutes, all druggy, cerebral and becalmed. Oh shit, that's the second side I've just been cocking an ear at and you know what? It's bastard goodly and left me panting for more. So is the first side, shooting from the starter blocks with tribal psych-pop that has nods towards the catchy technicolour dementia of early Mercury Rev but with softer, sensitive wispy vocals that recall Boston's legendary Swirlies. Then we're in tropical techno mode a la Fuck Buttons but in less studious, yet increasingly trippy and monged mode. Side one (you know the one before side two) ends with another burst of bent-out-of-shape cyber-pixie madness that makes industry-humping berks MGMT sound thoroughly cynical. Great second record from these - liquid rhythms, eclectic moods, heavenly hooks and a wide-eyed playfulness abound, I'm quite satisfied at how much I dig this on its initial spin, another office stormer from these London-based scamps!