★★★★

OnCamp Echo, Norwegian band Highasakite leave behind the spacious folk tones ofSilent Treatmentin favour of heavier electronic stylings and dark atmospherics.

This corresponds with frontwoman Ingrid Håvik’s interest in war – the album title is a reference to a detention centre on Guantanamo Bay, and Håvik’s distinctive voice relates many politicised first-person narratives across the record.

Highasakite piece together clusters of synthesizers and artificial beats to brilliant effect. ‘My Mind Is A Bad Neighbourhood’ features an undercurrent of anxious beats and erratic sounds interwoven with the lead melody. Håvik’s vocals never threaten to overpower the noise, but instead meld to the shape of the song. ‘I Am My Own Disease’ sees Highasakite delving into more anthemic territory, while ‘Golden Ticket’ is filled with grandiose tonal rises and a delicious shimmering chorus. It’s also the only track that seems to infer themes of love and affection. Many other songs are bright around the edges, but they’re underpinned with something sinister – see album highlight ‘Deep Sea Diver’.

Camp Echo is Highasakite’s most confident album yet, covering considerable ground without losing direction and showcasing incredible aptitude at their new electronic leanings.

Highasakite‘s Camp Echois out now on Caroline.

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