INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK

If you haven’t taken heed of Glass Animals by now, this is your official notice.ZABAfollows through on the promise of their single ‘Gooey’, melding indie eccentricities with heavy R&B beats.

As a signee to Paul Epworth’s label, they were never going to be ‘just another indie band’. But the proof is in the peanut butter.

This is an album for kids who grew up listening to Dr. Dre and Snoop and never quite moved on. Glass Animals are indie in the vein of Radiohead and Animal Collective, but their sound is so heavily immersed in soul it’s hard to confine it to either genre. Take ‘Black Mambo’, which quickly shifts from minimalist strings and bass drum to a lo-fi version of a Latin slow dance. ‘Hazey’ moves further into R&B territory – its opening could have been pulled straight from a Snoop track circa 2000. But add Dave Bayley’s voice and some tinkling strings and you get an indie track to get down to.

‘Gooey’ remains the clear standout, its appeal largely the way the lyrics mirror the song’s texture and mood. “Tipsy topsy swerves” capture the woozy harmonies perfectly.

ZABA elevates Glass Animals from ‘ones to watch’ to a seriously interesting band to dig into. Grab a spoon.

4/5.

ZABA is out Monday June 9 through Wolf Tone / Caroline.

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