I Heart the Monster Hero: Rhythm & Pals

There's no question that this debut album will be simply too bonkers for most people's taste, but therein lies its brilliance. The Dublin quintet have made erraticism an art form, pinging from slapdash, guitar-led pop-rock (Bozo vs Slug) to meandering, psychedelic krautrock (Clipper 61) before making a diversion via Jesus and Mary Chain-style shoegaze (Hatchet) and slo-mo '80s-style pop rock (Send Goodvibes Only). There seems to be little hanging this collection together upon first listen, but further investigation reveals a tangent coated in scuzzy, lo-fi production that only enhances the character of the songs. Such a drastic mixture of dark and light shouldn't really work, but somehow it does. facebook.com/iheartthemonster hero

Download: Clipper 61, Send Goodvibes Only