ninehertz

It comes as quite a surprise to find that In Grief or in Hope is Big|Brave’s tenth album. Of course they have been around a while, that there is a rich history in their back catalogue, yet conversely, they still feel new and fresh, an aura to them generated through a consistency in quality across their existence and a creative drive towards self-renewal.

Here they lean into the electro-pulsating drones that have long been part of their armoury. This is a record where electronic effects cause ripples in the vocals and jitters within the instrumentation to make the whole feel otherworldly. Yet despite its glitching nature, Big|Brave manage to maintain throughout a musical beauty few others could attain within such environs.

The expressive vocals act as a calm guiding presence in amongst the itching noises and droning guitars; what should be sharp contrasts jabbing at the listener to stay away are overcome by a surprisingly subtle electrifying refinement and an etherealness that draws you in. Cacophonies of amp bulging throbs and static flecked airs are tempered throughout.

It has the temperament of Amnesiac-era Radiohead and the experimental mindedness of Bjork as much as more traditional comparisons from the worlds of doom, industrial and drone such as their old collaborators The Body. This is an extraordinary record, a lesson in how to craft dark and dystopian textures into something that is emotionally tangible. It is one of the best albums of the year so far.