Heirs
Heirs looks for a balance between And So I Watch You from Afar's busy guitars and their increasingly accessible melodies. The Belfast band still play with infectious force, but voices take a more prominent role. Sometimes they give the music a stronger collective gesture. Elsewhere they get slightly in the way of the more interesting instrumental movement.
Run Home shows why the combination remains attractive. Bright, fast guitar parts give it a restless start before a quieter passage opens more space through echo. When the rhythm gathers force again, the return has weight. The band can make a powerful impression by allowing themselves to leave something out.
These Secret Kings I Know begins with an angular directness, then makes room for much bigger guitar chords and stuttering rhythmic changes. Wasps maintains the force without losing the melody. The skill appears in the way the parts change, but usually stays in the service of a recognisable song. There is plenty to follow without having to count every turn.
People Not Sleeping adds a danceable groove. The long title track takes more time to develop its intensity and makes that broader structure a strength. These moments show a band who can achieve more than a quick succession of clever ideas.
The singing works less consistently. When short communal phrases demand more attention, the relationship with the guitars can become awkward. Some passages consequently leave less of an impression than their enthusiastic performance promises. Heirs still offers plenty of strong rhythms, appealing sounds and convincing transitions. Its best tracks connect the band's agility with melodies that hold up even when you leave the technical details aside.
