Enemies: Embark, Embrace

"Big in Japan" isn't just a music industry cliché if you're Enemies, the Wicklow band whose fine 2010 debut led to a record deal and tour in the Land of the Rising Sun. On their second album the instrumental quartet have shaken off the label of "Redneck Manifesto Jr", inviting various guest vocalists from Irish bands Heathers and The Cast of Cheers to enhance their vibrant, melodic songs. The strident riff of Executive Cut is an early highlight, yet warmth and intricacy aren't sacrificed in the quest for powerhouse choruses. Indian Summer 's playfulness bleeds into mini-epic Coral Castle , while Love Unlimited and dreamy closer North West renounce the taut, measured bounce of earlier tracks for a more considered ending. An impressively pitched, precisely paced and downright enjoyable soundtrack to the summer.
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Download: Executive Cut, Coral Castle