SYLVAN ESSO

No Rules Sandy (Loma Vista) 

No Rules Sandy, the fourth long-player from US electronic nova-pop duo Sylvan Esso, sets off at a decent lick with Moving, frantic distorted synths fizzing like bottles of cola fighting over Mentos mints, while Amelia Meath coos “shake my head til no-one comes” from behind a curtain of noise.

Look At Me again features hyperactive synths by Nick Sanborn (the Sandy in the title), with Amelia bringing a calmer vocal; Echo Party is askew 2-step garage, and How Did You Know’s skittering pulse is, like a softened edge of The Knife.

With plenty of the tracks barely troubling 180 seconds and interludes of voicemails, birdsong and the like, No Rules Sandy is a bittier listen than it should be, although Didn’t Care is less self-conscious with 80s Princey synths, Your Reality has a twitchy beauty, and Alarm’s more conventional 808 acid is well worth staying out for, like a night out with Robyn and Rozi Plain.  

words CHRIS SEAL