Inspired by both brotherhood and fatherhood, And So I Watch You From Afar’s latest record sees the former quiet men of math/post rock find their voices – quite literally. After teasing us with a smattering of vocals on All Hail Bright Futures, Heirs builds and expands on what their third opus established, to include fully fleshed- out lyrics and melodies – and the move is sure to either excite or alienate long-time fans in equal measure.
Comprising ten tracks, their fourth album is a tale of two halves. Though the record dips precariously around the midway point, when it hits its stride on ‘These Secret Kings I Know’ it features some of the best fret-mangling you’ll hear all year. ‘Wasps’ is even better and has a stirring Arcade Fire-esque gang vocal and some neck-bothering metal riffing. The likes of ‘A Beacon, A Compass, An Anchor’ and ‘Fucking Lifer’ are fairly uniform, well worn and dare I say predictable ASIWYFA efforts. But the phantasmagorical, sci-fi sounds of ‘Animal Ghosts’ and the epic and atmospheric ‘Tryer, You’ help to ensure that the album ends on a high.

KEY TRACK: 'Wasps'