Inspector Tapehead released their debut ‘Duress Code’ in 2010 on Edinburgh indie Song, By Toad then broke-up. However they’ve reconvened and have jumped ship to Glint to release second effort ‘So Solar’.
This album is defiantly lo-fi with a rich tapestry of drones, beeps and other weird noises accompanying the vocals, guitars and drums. ‘Historic Gulliver’ is an invigorating opener, and ‘A Vision from the Bridge at Mulben’ is a great slice of laconic pop.
‘So Solar’ is a highlight, with an urgent energy propelled by stabs of keyboards before a killer chorus takes the reigns.
There’s a spaced-out lethargy to “So Solar’ that will appeal to fans of Beck and the Beta Band. It’s the sort of music that conjures up it’s own atmosphere and welcomes you into its hazy, off-kilter world. Recent single ‘Soldier Boy’ featuring Panda Su is a particularly dreamy delight.
It would seem the five year gap between albums has benefited Inspector Tapehead and allowed their sound to mature at a leisurely pace into the odd-tasting but beguiling soup that is ‘So Solar.’