Brew//Dance To The Radio Split 10”

Starting out with the fuzz of feedback that introduces Dolphins’ grungy ‘Escape’, the record kicks off slowly - at just under two minutes, it doesn’t really go anywhere. They’ve got a catchy verse riff and a spacious passage over which the word ‘escape’ is shouted by a man who sounds mildly aggravated but that’s it. The song might be two minutes long but get twenty seconds in and you’ve heard all they’ve got to give. With a stoner-rock sound in the Part Chimp vein, these guys undoubtedly just need a little more time to show themselves off properly.

Given they’ve got no problem with demanding attention, Blacklisters come off fast and hard once again with ‘Club Foot by Kasabian’. This almost definitely is not a cover of the Kasabian original but rather a weird and dry joke. Bearded would definitely argue that this doesn’t matter. On listening, images are brought to mind of the Leeds boys throwing themselves off the walls of the studio as they grind and smash their way through intermittent fits of instrumental rage. All said, this is classic Blacklisters with dissonant, syncopated rhythms providing a backing for terrifying, painful screams and defeatist mumblings.

‘Senorita’ is next up from fun-loving madcaps Castrovalva. This is an eclectic track in itself with the signature noisy hip-hop vibe coming through but with new melodic lines that sound like turn of the century Fear Factory or Alien Ant Farm. There’s also an increased use of synth via a catchy little line that forms the backbone to the main sections. Their relentless playfulness shines through with gaps in the song given over entirely to laughs, jeers and pastiches. A lovely deranged tumble through Valva territory and we’re moving on.

The final track is the latest effort from Hawk Eyes (formerly Chickenhawk). A squeaky overdriven guitar and a bouncy rhythm section herald their coming and you instantly know where you stand. The chorus dives in with a chord progression and rock’n’roll sensibility akin to Pulled Apart By Horses and, with a basic song structure and a chanted refrain, this (worryingly) is quite similar to ‘We Hate This Do You Like It’.

This is a respectable release that is bound to stir up some more interest in the ever growing music-pool that is Leeds. With nothing that couldn’t be expected, the record just adds definition to the bands on show and, more importantly, is a thoroughly enjoyable romp.