Liars

Sisterworld, Mute, ***

Convention? It's a word that has no place in the lexicon of Liars, a band who have consistently shunned all notions of normality throughout their career. Previously based in arty Berlin, the trio returned to their native United States for the recording of their fifth album, but Sisterworldis no less offbeat than their previous material. Scissors is an incendiary opener, splicing a bluesy hymn with a raucous drum'n'bass rattle, but not all of these 11 songs are quite as extreme. The Overachieversand Drip, in particular, prefer to utilise shady grooves that encompass thrashy punk, atmospheric psychedelia, and the sort of murmured chants you'd expect to hear at a Doomsday cult convention. It's either a mess, or a work of quasi-genius – but trying to figure out which is which is an undeniable pleasure. liarsliarsliars.com

Download tracks: The Overachievers, Scissors