…And Then We Saw Land has been burning a hole in my stereo for weeks. It’s one of those albums that you can’t help but feel strongly about, but actually transcribing those emotions into words ends up being the greatest chore imaginable.
Tunng are the hipster’s favourite band: eccentric enough to provide a good half-hour of faux-authoritative musical dissection, accessible enough to be enjoyable, and just about obscure enough to reinforce your indie credentials. The latter qualification, however, is subject to change with the London sextet’s fourth album.
Album opener and lead single “Hustle” is about as close to the perfect pop song as you can get without actually being The Beatles; a beautifully-written gem with a guitar line so well-structured it inspires spontaneous paroxysms of joy with every listen, and a male/female vocal harmony that lifts the song to the greatest heights of infectious indie-pop glory.
Don’t misunderstand me, reader – this isn’t a conventionally ‘happy’ album: “It Breaks” and “Don’t Look Down Or Back” darken the mood slightly with their brooding charm. “Sashimi”, however, is a work of art, with its oscillating electronics, foot-stomping rhythm and helplessly uplifting refrain (so come in / and lie down / lift your feet up off the floor). Sam Genders’ breathy vocals spar with Becky Jacobs’ more melodic strains on “With Whiskey”, though writing a chorus and lifting most of the lyrics from a-ha’s “Take On Me” seems an odd decision for a band so skilled in the songwriting art. …And Then We Saw Land is a complex delight, but once it hits, you’re lost.
Our Arbitrary Numerical Verdict:
Tunng – ‘Don’t Look Down Or Back’
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Marcus Kernohan is the founder and editor-in-chief of Stereokill.net. Email him at 
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