Drahla make their long-awaited return with their astounding second record angeltape, offering an intriguing world for audiences to explore while eschewing conventional melodic structures and embracing uncertainty. Their latest material gives an unfiltered insight into the challenging transitional period the band found themselves in following the release of their 2019 critically acclaimed debut, Useless Coordinates. angeltape is an altogether more introspective and abstract examination of the self, an avant garde document of the events that unfolded over the five-year gap between records. Over the last few years, the band have experienced devastating personal losses, while expanding their sound with guitarist Ewan Barr joining vocalist and guitarist Luciel Brown, bassist Rob Riggs and drummer Mike Ainsley. These recent experiences – collective and individual – culminate in a sound that is considerably darker and tonally more complex and conceptual in its essence. Delving into themes of grief and trauma whilst simultaneously celebrating moments of sentimentality and support during difficult times, angeltape shifts between being a challenging, comforting and ultimately rewarding record for both artist and audience.

The addition of Ewan Barr to Drahla’s visceral and vital arrangements signaled a significant shift in the band’s dynamic, ultimately reshaping the way they approach their angular arrangements. Crucially, it allowed Drahla to dismantle previous limitations and carve out new sonic avenues to experiment with form more than ever before. The exhilarating interplay of driving bass riffs and charged drum patterns provide a captivating contrast to Brown’s melodic spoken delivery. The enveloping atmosphere emanating from the quartet is heightened by searing saxophone accompaniments from long-standing collaborator Chris Duffin. There’s an irresistible and unwavering potency surging throughout this masterful second record, one that stays with you long after you first step into Drahla’s enticing world.

“a squirming slice of noise rock that seems to inject some of Throbbing Gristle’s poison into the carcass of British guitar music.” – CLASH