ninehertz

I’m going to keep this short and sweet, like the majority of the nine tracks that constitute Aware, for it is not an album to chin stroke and ponder, instead a centrepiece to dance around and let yourself go to.

It jumps all over the place from the off, completely alive and providing you with a boost merely by listening. It is jaunty noise rock – although not too angular as some can be, as a consistent strain running through the music is of a happy mood. Even when it goes skittish and wired you can’t help but smile.

The pace drops a touch in the middle songs, into post-hardcore and neighbouring screamo. The ending has the slightly surreal title track, all loungey and laid back with a guitar that sounds like a tipsy bee humming away, and Hear whose exploratory guitar holds a sense of danger.

Moni Jitchell are grand masters at this now, totally owning their sound. It’s only four years since their debut but feels like they’ve been around much longer. Aware is them at their peak, music that provides a positive impact on your psyche.