Air Cav – Don’t Look Indoors

As Wu Lyf disappear beneath their short-lived novelty, fellow Mancunion four-piece Air Cav justify their enigma – hiding away and carefully constructing their music instead of relying on marketing campaigns. Forming in 2008, their music has since combined hypnotic shoegaze with the antique creaks of traditional folk. From that, it’s clear that Air Cav cannot be pigeonholed within the Northern Quarter’s trendy hangouts, be it with the tumultuous assault of ‘Alliance,’ or the hallucinogenic shimmer of track ‘Crystalline.’

Fast forward three years then, and the long wait for their debut has paid off – the anticipation attracted by preceding singles and their wonderful slot at Manchester’s In the City festival. With Broken Social Scene’s Noah Mintz on mastering duties, ‘Don’t Look Indoors’ is not only a wonderful testament to their meticulous craft, but their refreshing individuality. “And we all know the truth can’t take that away/ When you’re faced with a voice/ There’s no words to say,” decrees vocalist Chris Nield. A powerful start, ‘A Call To Arm’s briskly draws Sophie Parkes’ swooning violin and Nield’s enveloping melodies into a swirling bluster.

The production duties help massively. Where it’s easy to lose them amongst the intensive gust, each instrument shimmers in vivid clarity. ‘Exile’s elegant melodies segue gracefully into the whitewash of its conclusion, rather than rush aimlessly into it. Nield’s vocal – think Brian Molko – soars in perfect unison with Parkes’ luscious strings during ‘Blind Summit.’ Meanwhile, the shimmering scree of ‘Picking at the Bones’ could be described as ‘psych-gaze’ – Nield’s eccentric yelps close to PiL era John Lydon. Finally, closer ‘Where You’re Supposed to Be’ ends positively. Optimistic ‘Joshua Tree’ era guitars jangle hopefully – a reminder that Manchester’s not all damp and muggy. ‘Don’t Look Indoors’ is a promising debut for Air Cav, one which should bring them closer to Manchester’s current elite. That’s if they don’t shy away again though.