To say The Horrors have come a long way since their 2007 debutStrange Houseand all that big hair and goth make-up is putting it mildly. Having become the darlings of the British music press, expectations were high for their fourth album after the success of 2009’sPrimary Coloursand 2011’sSkying.

The Horrors allay any fears that this album would be anything other than brilliant from opening track ‘Chasing Shadows’, a sprawling aural soundscape that channels early Kasabian with a unique Horrors twist. ‘First Day Of Spring’ is more direct, conventional in many ways – but then again, there isn’t much about The Horrors that is conventional. They push boundaries sonically, and meld genres at will.

‘So Now You Know’ is an album standout, sounding more polished than most songs you’ll hear this year, yet managing to sound completely different to anything you’ve got on your iPod. ‘In And Out Of Sight’ sees the band again challenging its own sound, unsurprisingly to great effect.

Luminous is a tremendous record, one of those albums that reminds you just how exciting, liberating and altogether different music can still be.

4/5.

Luminous is out now through XL Recordings / Remote Control.

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