School of Seven Bells – Put Your Sad Down EP

As the name suggests, the latest EP from Benjamin Curtis and Alejandra Deheza’s neo-shoegaze project represents a shift away from the more melancholy tones of this year’s Ghostory LP. The opening title track, and standout contribution, is among the best things they’ve recorded: a blissful 13-minute journey that channels a euphoric chord progression through Loveless-style lurching guitars and driving beats. 
 
The rest of the EP, while less ambitious, is similarly gorgeous: Faded Heart is a more dreamy, abstract take on Robyn’s lovesick electro-pop; while a cover of the Silver Apples’ Lovefingers augments the minimalist aesthetic of the original with richly layered vocals. Put Your Sad Down, then, imbues the essential sonic elements of Curtis and Deheza’s earlier work with a new, infectious glossiness. [Sam Wiseman]