Cymbals - Unlearn

A lot can happen in twelve months. Just ask East London-based trio Cymbals. Despite only being together for about a year, theyʼve already been on the receiving end of a truckload of hype, and now theyʼre releasing their debut album on the super-cool Tough Love Records.

‘Unlearn’ opens with the uncompromising ʻSummer Jobʼ, which sounds like 2011ʼs answer to Talking Heads, combining scratchy and discordant guitar riffs with a relentless clattering beat - while frontman Jackʼs lazy falsetto provides the unusual melodies. Next, ʻTotally Overʼ features a more chilled out, 808-sampling beat, while ʻWilderbeestʼ sees ambient house synths coming to the fore - hold on a sec - ambient house synths? Yep, thatʼs right, although CYMBALS might primarily be a guitar-based band, they donʼt allow themselves to be restricted by that. In fact, the majority of ʻUnlearnʼ seems to be influenced as much by dance music as it is by guitar music - and anyway, who said thereʼs got to be a distinction between the two?

The bandʼs choice of producers gives us a good idea about where theyʼre coming from. When D/R/U/G/S (a.k.a. Callum Wright) is behind the mixing desk (as he is for ʻWilderbeestʼ, as well as ʻSingle Printed Nameʼ and ʻSummer Escapingʼ), the tracks take on a more house-orientated sound, with the main emphasis on the beats and synths. In fact, ʻSummer Escapingʼ is one of the most synth-heavy tracks on the album; dark, throbbing and jam-packed with the now-trademark nonchalant hooks. Meanwhile, ʻSingle Printed Nameʼ starts with house synth stabs, but soon descends into something pretty close to organised chaos as Jack shrieks “I donʼt want to be your friend!” over the top of riotous guitars and frantic drums that barely manage to hold it all together.

Also making appearances behind the desk are ex-Test Icicle Rory Brattwell and folktronica artist James Yuill, as well as Popular Workshop’s Jake Maddams. While Yuill seems to approach the mixing of his tracks (ʻTotally Overʼ and ʻHalf Askʼ) in a similar style to Callum Wright, Brattwell and Maddams allow the songs to sit back a bit more, putting less emphasis on the drums and synths and more focus on the guitar, such as on ʻJaneʼ, which is an understated highlight of the album, sounding like a subdued White Denim.

However, sometimes ʻUnlearnʼ lacks the depth and variety needed to take it to the next level and really make it great. Although the albumʼs spasmodic energy carries it for the most part, sometimes the sparse arrangements and simple, spacious production make it a little one-dimensional. The band have said in numerous interviews that they write their music purely to have a good time, and although this sense of spontaneity is one of the reasons that this album sounds so unique, at times it does feel like it could have done with a little more time in the oven. Having said that, ʻUnlearnʼ is undoubtedly a bold, interesting and original debut - a debut that sees Cymbals more or less living up to the hype.