Picore – Assyrian Vertigo

Unlike their Mogwai/Shellac-endorsed Spanish namesakes, this French sextet ply a decidedly sinister trade in dark, noise-infused trip-hop combined with huge atmospherics and oddball industrial weirdness. Quite a combination. The general lack of a central vocal leaves a lot of time for contemplation and it's easy to begin trying to imagine the kind of movie this rather chilling work might soundtrack.

If you will, try picturing a David Cronenberg-directed remake of Terminator. The huge mechanised clanks of Equus and Fiasco capturing Cyberdyne's offspring in all their automated glory while the desolate sprawling horror of Gilgamesh steadily sweeps through a room like those tracking shots of blackened skies and skulls crushed under caterpillar tracks. Throughout its course, there's a canny sense of momentum to Assyrian Vertigo that reminds us it is indeed a musical work first and foremost, but soundtrack work certainly seems a logical avenue for such a talented and intimidating group of audio conjurors.