Mourn – Ha, Ha, He.

There are moments on Ha, Ha, He. – the youthful Catalonian quartet’s sophomore LP – when there’s a distinct impression of listening to several House of Love tracks played at the same time. Which is no bad thing; short and snappy it may be – its 12 tracks are done and dusted within half an hour – yet the band still manage to cultivate dramatic intent amidst the jangly guitars and posturing hooks. This is, in essence, a photogenic record, forming patterns from anger but also vibrancy.

Opening with spiky instrumental Flee, its overture feel leads us down ill-lit corridors as the core of the album is revealed, Carla Pérez Vas’ vocals fleeting and indistinct, the musical Americanisms contextual (I Am A Chicken in particular wearing its Pixies influence with pride). The highlight: Irrational Friend, a frenzy of shouted aggression above hanging riffs – it’s material such as this that hints strongly at a promising future.