Okker - Two Axes

Winter is a bad time to be promoting underground music. The sheer quantity of rubbish that crams the shelves of music stores turns even the most discerning consumers into slack-jawed zombies, who mystifyingly give their hard-earned cash to 'artists' like Dido. At the other end of the spectrum lies Okker, who, despite having only 400 friends on that fame yardstick called MySpace, have been signed to American label Radio is Down. Setting up shop somewhere between Slint, Polvo, Quicksand, At the Drive-In and Fugazi, this four-piece are so taut that they sound like robots. Slabs of twin guitars raise the alarm and sound the call to action, while the vocals switch between mumbled background static and urgent yelps and screams. Next time you’re in the queue at HMV, put down the Coldplay album – it’s okay, Chris already has plenty of cash (as does Gwyneth) – and seek out this phenomenal debut. [Ewen Millar]