Swords - Tidal Waves album review: Assured electronica takes the plunge

This Irish three-piece follows up their erratic 2013 debut, Lions & Gold, with a much more assured collection. Still working within electronic pop, the songs on Tidal Waves seem to weigh themselves up against each other before confidently heading out into the world.

Superb tunes such as Sixty Thousand Years, All These Hours, Sitting on Walls and the title track breathe slowly and surely, as if waiting to take the plunge. While build-ups to peak levels of excitement don't always happen, neither do the songs listlessly fade away.

This may be due to Karl Odlum's production, which is light-handed but firm. Tidal Waves also sounds really crisp and clean (it was mastered by Mandy Parnell, who has worked with Björk, The xx, and Sigur Rós). So take a dip; no lifejacket required.

[ swordsband.com ]