Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals

African roots music isn’t exactly the most common stomping ground when it comes to digging up influences. Indeed, at first though it might not exactly quicken the pulse too much either.

On the other hand, it’s a trick that’s been pulled by more than you’d think. From M.I.A. to The Good, The Bad and The Queen (well, you know what Damon Albarn is like), artists are drawing influences from music outside the conventional more and more often. One listen to ‘All Hour Cymbals’ suggests why.

Yeasayer aren’t without a sense of fun - all tribal beats mixed with hand claps, there’s as much to encourage a smile as their is to soundtrack a BBC wildlife documentary. ‘2080’ is the blatant highlight, with a chorus that sticks out like a sore thumb. For a band that came out of a New York scene with a distinct Strokes flavour, it’s quite remarkable just how many influences are contained within.

Which, interestingly we’re led to believe, include Cyndi Lauper. Quite where she comes into the prog leanings of ‘No Need To Worry’ isn’t entirely obvious, but there’s certainly a touch of Arcade Fire to closer ‘Worms / Waves’ - enchanting and powerful to the last.

Where else can you hear a children’s choir on the same record as a sitar jam? Admirable in its leanings, ‘All Hour Cymbals’ isn’t just another record, Yeasayer not just another Brooklyn band. Hurrah for that.