Last time we heard Alpha Strategy they were on fairly splenetic form, barrelling around the place with a jittery, hyper-caffeinated sense of abandon. In the years since they seem to have slowed down and taken the time to explore the space around them, letting things breathe while still keeping a firm grip on the weird. ‘The Gurgler’ slouches and maunders, unfolding at a leisurely and somewhat abstract pace. The vocals recall a cartoon dog yawning, while the guitars jangle like loose change in pervert’s pocket. Overall there’s a sense that the people behind it all probably haven’t ditched their Jesus Lizard and NoMeansNo records, but that they’re taking some time out to spend more time with the likes of Oxbow and US Maple. Can’t fault them for that, right?
