The Null Set play that brand of fuzzy, noisy guitar pop that can be quite hypnotic, creating a layered slab of distortion that has more flavours than my Aunt Delphene's Christmas trifle. From Sonic Youth to Swervedriver to Polvo, we've embraced the loose sound of competing duel guitar bands that create these massive melodies and The Null Set sound like the result of puting them all through a mincer. As with the afore-mentioned acts, lyrics and even vocals don't really matter to The Null Set's sound; it rarely comes to the fore, seeming like a contractually obligated effort rather than a foreground entity. The laconic tones help to remind you about structure and occasionally help the mood, as on All Day Sucker, but the music definitely takes priority, enveloping the listener; sometimes as warm as an old friend and other times as abrasive as your worst enemy. Kate Wilson's shuffling snare work is a musical strength that sounds like it would fill any sized venue while the three guitar-pronged attack of distortion will challenge many mixers. Return To Highway Speed is an impressive introduction and with a little time; a few more songs like these; and a decent producer, you can be sure that The Null Set are heading for a top-class debut album.

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Tracklisting

Full listing of NULL SET releases