REHUMANIZER

Having evolved from their initial Post Rock approach, U.S band Maserati present their fifth album, 2015's predominately instrumental `Ruhumanizer', where a Seventies-meets-Eighties fusion of restless spacerock, floating prog-electronic and reaching psychedelia sit alongside slinking electro-pop, new-wave, and just a touch of goth and new romantic sounds as well. The band describe themselves here as being `a supergroup comprised of Gary Numan, Cluster and Pink Floyd', but they could go even further and throw in the chugging heaviness of Hawkwind, and even a touch of the chiming guitars of Eighties poppers A Flock of Seagulls (wait, come back, it's all good!)!

After a slowly unfolding Tangerine Dream-like dreamy electronic build, ten minute instrumental space-rock opener `No Cave' kicks to up-tempo life with a relentless bashing beat, thick grumbling bass and shimmering electric guitar ripples that race for the heavens. `Living Cell' bounces with a smouldering dark electro-pop sheen, and there's just a hint of an Eighties goth tone to bassist Chris McNeal's drawled vocal, while first side closer `Montes Jura' clangs with tense pulsing sequencer trickles behind rising and falling synth caresses and no shortage of Eighties-flecked electric guitar slow-burn.

The flip side's `End of Man' is a skittering and frantic electro-popper powered by fuzzy electronic bursts over an incessant beat and Matt Cherry's monotone Kraftwerk-like vocoder-treated vocal, the piece growing more breathless and urgent as it progresses. The final two-part instrumental title track `Rehumanizer' is exceptionally groovy and energetic with constantly stuttering growling bass spasms and fuzzy distortion, and the big unceasing drumbeats and spacey ringing electric guitar chimes instantly remind of A Flock of Seagull's `Space Age Love Song/I Ran' and maybe even British prog-pop group Mansun!

Admittedly some of the instrumental tracks sound a little similar to eachother in a few spots, and there's perhaps also not a ton of depth to the pieces, but the album sounds so completely infectious and constantly energised that it's hard not to be get caught up in simply enjoying it. If you're curious about what a band that's a mix of the above mentioned artists might sound like, absolutely take the time to investigate `Rehumanizer'. Besides - sleek guitars, pulsing electronics and cool beats with a big retro sound (and not of the era you'd expect!) - what's not to love about this one?!

Four stars...and bonus points for one of the greatest LP sleeves in years!