The Altered Hours – In Heat Not Sorry

Debut albums, however raw (and sometimes that’s very raw indeed) are as much about future promise as the here and now. Take Irish five-piece The Altered Hours, whose first long player feels at times like a work in progress, the production a little shallow, highlighting each rough edge. But there’s certainly ideas afoot; themes that stretch from Berlin (where the album was recorded) to post-punk/shoegaze expressionism, brought to life by chugging bass and girl/boy vocals.

Opening track Who’s Saving Who contains echoes of Slowdive at their zenith, the coy restraint of Birds suggesting early Cure. Currents of desperation sweep down amidst scuzzy guitar and (on the wonderfully-paced Saviours) distant shards of piano; seventh track Virgin’s Sleeve even manages to evoke a psychedelic-folk intelligence that’s as rich as it is unexpected.

In Heat Not Sorry isn’t going to win many prizes, and could have benefitted from a little more polish, but a few listens in and you can certainly see what they’re trying to do; their next release is very much anticipated.