As with anyone whose lost their weekend in a haze of Weatherspoons endorsed moonshine-supping will attest, Mondays are rarely fun. Fence Records’ Viva Stereo seem to know this better than most. Opening with the grainy, alca-seltzer drenched ‘Night Owl’, their electro-folk opener quips “One beer is never enough / I got the shakes and my head hurts”. From here, they combine New Order-esque Electronica (‘Diatribe’) with downbeat, piano-led dream-pop on ‘Orphan Hands’. Closer ‘KHB’ meanwhile sounds like a mandolin mantra via campfire shanty with added electro drum clicks. Viva Stereo: Truly Independent.
(freely downloadable at www.viva-stereo.co.uk)