‘Big Wows’ is heavier, harder and weirder than Stealing Sheep’s previous work – bold neon pop songs with rave percussion, steelpans, dreamy segues and breathy experiments. The ‘fsszzt’ sound of lemonade opens the album with a hyper-real sense of optimism that progressively reveals the cracks of dystopian irony amidst sugarcoated pop; held together by Emily Lansley’s bass guitar, Luciana Mercer’s drum kit, Rebecca Hawley’s synths and the trio’s swooning steely vocal harmonies.

The album opens with a burst of shimmery synths as ‘Show Love’ and ‘Back In Time’ lead you heart-first into the headier feels of ‘Jokin’ Me’ and upbeat bounce of ‘Why Haven’t I?’, following into the more progressive grooves for ‘Girl’ then fading out with the narcoleptic comforts of ‘Just Dreaming’.

Then we dig deeper into the dreamworld with the manias and hallucinations of ‘Breathe’ and ‘True Colours’ as well as the gorgeous disillusionment of the title track, ending with unexpected tropical club banger ‘Choose Like You’.

Stealing Sheep have a broad range of influences – St Vincent, Michael Jackson, The Knife, Kraftwerk, Drake, Little Dragon – but they remain resolutely and richly themselves.

The songs began at home or in their studio at Liverpool’s Invisible Wind Factory and then the band worked with various producers, including Marta Salogni (Bjork, MIA, Factory Floor), Andy Smith (Years & Years), Ash Workman (Christine & The Queens, Metronomy) and Joe Wills (video artist for Little Dragon).

Initial LP pressing on splattered vinyl with reflective board.