Not Fully Realised

It has been some time since the mercurial marvels of Rollerskate Skinny first made acquaintance with our eardrums. The news that founder member Stephen M is back making music will warm hearts of those who pine after such a sadly missed and criminally underrated band.

Empire is a beats and sounds collective that numbers Mark Dennehy and Ten Speed Racer’s Terry Cullen in their ranks. The triumvirate mould gentle sounds into fully formed breathtaking soundscapes, so do not be deceived by the playfully humble title. ‘Welcome’ perfectly introduces the tone with juddering loops and shimmering swirls of effects.

While Stephen’s former band may be better known for ceaseless wails of relentless volume, Not Fully Realised re-defines the noise pop template to focus on the subtle cadences of electronica married to gentle guitar strokes and soothing beats.

Despite the close attention to small details and a wide musical palette, Empire never over-load the mix to the point of sonic exhaustion. Hence, a track like ‘Be Happy Be Safe’ introduces hip-hop sensibilities which are there for effect and not just purely for show.

Not Fully Realised hits some searing highs, chiefly the Stereolab-go-to-the-disco shuffle of ‘Electronically Tested’ and the blissful beauty of ‘Leafy Suburbs’. Skinny spotters will be thrilled to hear that Stephen will release another album before the year’s out from his promising Walker group, and on this evidence all future transmissions are bound to be interesting.