Desert Hearts - Hotsy Totsy Nagaski

Desert Hearts are as bleak as their name suggests. Blending reclusive lyricism with chasmal arrangements, the Irish trio fend off joyous pop harmonies with the vigour of a 16th Century conquistador. Initially, sophomore LP Hotsy Totsy Nagaski does little to alleviate the band's cheerless disposition, yet amidst its complex soundscape is a record stirring with unabashed beauty. When subscribing to Mogwai's 'loud as fuck' philosophy the band are breathtaking; creating the heart-stopping exhilaration of 'Central Line' and 'Black Albino'. But it's the haunting devotion engrained within 'Bone Song's brittle structure and 'Apple's sumptuous horns that nurtures this album from indie adolescence to full-grown musical maturity. Brimming with the sound of these jagged rocks and polished diamonds, Hotsy Totsy Nagaski is a wondrous forty minutes of angst ridden expressionism. They may be grim souls, but Desert Hearts prove you don't need to be happy to make people smile. [Billy Hamilton]