Rubicks - In Miniature

Sounding like Lali Puna fronted by Debbie Harry, Rubicks are a fantastic electro pop band. Eschewing the irritating side of the genre and focusing on an avant-leaning style reminiscent of the aforementioned Lali Puna, they appear alomost like a fluffy Bloc Party. The music is cool and progressive without being pretentious and is eminently danceable. Carrying off this sort of ethereal pop without making inconsequential pap is difficult enough but to do it with such panache is impressive indeed. New wave guitar tunes, brittle electronica and the lighter side of the underground are all referenced, absorbed and subsumed into a beautiful whole. Bloody brilliant. [Jasper Hamill]