Divan - Modern Knowledge album review: impressive, subtle and brooding

Musicians occasionally have to jump through barbed-wire hoops in order to get to a point where they feel completely at ease with who they are and what they’re trying to achieve, which is probably why Dublin-based band Divan sound so comfortable in their skin.

The band consists of previous members of The Ambience Affair (Jamie Clarke and Marc Gallagher) and Tomorrows/ The Ghandis/Biggles Flys Again (Conor Deasy) and there is an ease of access into the music. Co-produced by Brent Knopf (a member of bands Ramona Falls and EL VY, the latter with The National's Matt Berninger), Modern Knowledge takes routes less travelled – there is less of Deasy's erstwhile pop music influence and more of an alternative, sombre sound that tactfully doffs a cap to Radiohead.

It is all quite impressive, subtle and brooding.