oceansize

Three guitars chime and chug, intertwining relentlessly until the inevitable blissful whiteout. You could compare this to Mogwai, but it’s much more – it’s monolithic, stereolithic, quadrobloodyphonic-lithic. The coda segues into ‘Unfamiliar’, a song with more ideas than most bands have in their careers. Here Vennart’s vocals swoon from croon to Mike Patton-esque howl in a heartbeat. ‘Trail of Fire’ sees guitarist Gambler scrunched over the ivories in his stripy T, rather like Schroeder from Peanuts except with tattoos and stubble. The keyboard swell somehow gives their sound even more width. If the Academy weren’t so titchy, you’d swear that the London Symphony Orchestra were sawing away merrily behind the curtains. Soon he’s back spanking his plank – emblazoned with a “KEEP MUSIC EVIL” sticker – and duelling with fellow axeman Steve Durose (voice of an angel; face of a brickie) on old favourite ‘Paper Champion’. Bassist Steve Hodson, the newest member and clearly proud to be ginger, brings dynamism and beardiness to the bottom end. The phrase “none more tight” fails to do the experience justice. You could rename this quintet Seaman, Adams, Winterburn, Dixon and Bould and that still wouldn’t convey their supernatural synchronisation. It’s even more remarkable given that drummer Mark Heron never imprisons himself behind 4/4 bars. On the berserk ‘Sleeping Dogs’ he plays 14 – count ’em – different time signatures. An equipment failure robs us of ‘Music For a Nurse’, the soundtrack to last year’s Orange mobile ads, but they more than compensate with ‘Ornament’, a choral epic of a closer. It’s colossal - and they should be too. Does ’size matter? Of course it flipping does.