Witching Waves at Narc

Barely a year after their excellent debut Fear Of Falling Down, it’s a pleasant surprise to see Witching Waves back already.

Like so many of the best second albums, Crystal Café takes what made its predecessor great, making it even more vivid and more vital. It’s noticeably louder than the debut, but that’s not all there is to it.

From the jittery buzzsaw riffs to the desperate urgency of the vocals, it’s packed with nervous energy and the songs feel somehow fuller and more three dimensional. Seeing Double, for example, is near perfect; a glorious collision of a classic pop song and heady noise.

Crystal Café is a wonderful record and all the more enviable for how effortless it seems.

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