Mountbatten Class (Free mini-album)

The anarchic debut album by noise pop outfit Ginnels, aka guitarist Mark Chester was quirky, playful and frankly, batshit crazy, but it was also a great example of the phenomenon of “so odd, it works”. This new mini-album, recorded by Chester in breaks from performing with No Monster Club, Grand Pocket Orchestra and about a million other bands, is mellower and more streamlined than Ginnels’ previous material, but there’s still a lot of delectable nonsense to enjoy. Best of all, the eight-tracker, titled Mountbatten Class, can be all yours for absolutely nothing. The even better news? It’s one of the most wonderfully wild Irish records we’ve heard all year, free or otherwise.