A Way Forward vinyl

There's no better example of a follow-up LP this week than Nation Of Language's 'A Way Forward', which brings up the rear and engulfs 'Introduction', the band's 2020 debut. Put simply, this album is krautrocky, whereas the last one was closer to synthpop. This subtle change came as a result of Ian Devaney, Aidan Noell, and Michael Sue-Poi attempting to "trace the roots of their sound", "hoping to learn something from the early influences of our early influences", from big names like Can through to Laurie Spiegel and Cluster. Recorded through the past year's lockdowns, a long-form mood of relentless melancholy is the result, blending driving drum machines with intense reverb and yearning male vocals - 'The Grey Commute' and 'Former Self' being emotive highlights. Keep an eye for the limited red and blue split vinyl version of this one.