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Klaxons

Surfing The Void
(Polydor)

klaxons.net

The wait for the follow-up of Myths Of The Near Future, even for those not interested in the second step in the on-going journey through sound and space for London’s 2007 hot-topic Klaxons, was made all the more lengthy by talks of a radical shift in sound. For those of you expecting another series of hang tens on the new-rave wave can leave those hopes at the door now, go home and listen to the first album and forget Klaxons exist in another context. Those that will be disappointed with the new sound (and those people WILL be disappointed) are also victim to being ignorant towards the natural progression all band should make. From beginning to end, Surfing The Void is an album that – amazing spacecat artwork aside – oozes maturity, a refreshing lack of arrogance but maintains the meteor crashes of personality and that same childlike exploration that made their first demos so special.

Though the sense of humour is lost, those that withstand the galactic waves of intentionally messy guitar tapestries, soaring harmonies and good old fashioned noise will be greatly rewarded. The intergalactic pussy on the front guards a shiny disc that’s vacuum packed with curious Midnight Juggernauts-inspired electro-space-rock. There aren’t any laughs here, but if we accept Gravity’s Rainbow and Atlantis To Interzone both have their own cemented purpose in the past and accept the fluid songwriting that’s moulded into Echoes, Flashover and the title track then you’ll be left with a warm collection of music that may not be groundbreaking, but why break ground when you can surf the void and float through the motherfucking universe?

Bellend Sebastian