Strgths vinyl

SHXCXCHCXSH don't make things easy. Not only does the Swedish duo have a tongue-twisting disregard for vowels that renders each track name unpronounceable, they also seem to care little for convention and form. While the former is an inconvenience, the latter is rewarding and it means that while their debut album STRGTHS is a demanding listen, it is also a deeply satisfying experience. Each track on the album is an experience where the listener does not know what is going to happen from one bar to the next. That's not to say that STRGTHS doesn't have its share of dance floor techno tracks, "LTTLWLF" and "PCTSTSS" stand out in this respect. However, the really memorable tracks are the ones realised out on the fringes where rules are discarded, such as album opener "LDWGWTT" which moves from grinding riffs into an eerie soundscape before embracing searing acid, as beats run in and out of time in the background. STRGTHS is uneasy listening music of the highest order.