Makthaverskan – III

Gothenburg post-punks Makthaverskan (which roughly translates as "Girl Power") take their time, that much is clear. Their three albums have been released at four-year intervals, and yet they've only made incremental changes to their hugely 80s new wave-indebted sound. Given the waves they started to make around their second release, 2013's II, it seems surprising that they should wait so long and let their perceived momentum pass, but in seeing the gothy Swedes live or in interviews suggests this isn't their primary focus.

III sees the quintet expand their sound sonically in the studio, but opener Vienna proves they've taken their feet off the pedal ever-so-slightly compared to II's relentlessly upbeat tempo. While this means there is room to expand on their songwriting in some aspects – on songs like Eden – ultimately there isn't a lot of range to be had here. III is a perfectly solid post-punk album, with lead vocalist Maja Milner giving a particularly impressive performance throughout and on Siren especially, but musically it's fairly one-note. 

Previous fans of the band, or of The Cure-revivalism, will surely enjoy the endlessly chorus-effected guitars, the hi-hat dominant drums, and the driving bass lines that make up the majority of Makthaverskan's third full-length. Others, however, may not find loads to love beyond Milner's charisma. That isn't to say there aren't enjoyable moments on III that transcend genre – the final build in Days Turn Into Years is particularly good – but ultimately, this is largely standard fare.

Listen to: Vienna, Eden, Siren