It’s in the haze of a cloud of chirruping insects that Plank return, following the success of their mammal-concerning debut LP Animalism.

Two years since that record gained plaudits and sold out vinyl run, the instrumental trio have thematically splintered the number of beings on Hivemind, paying homage to the millions of arthropods without which our global eco-system could not survive. It’s apt enough, really, because Plank themselves have opened up a whole new sub-species of sounds, elements and textures beyond their previous environment too, each track giving the feel of an overall movement through differing habitual undergrowth.

Definitely an album designed for vinyl (it’s on 180 gram) with side A more song structures (King Crimson, Camel, Trans Am, Giorgio Moroder, Kling Klang, Agitation Free, Steve Reich) and side B should be listened to as one complete piece ala DJed by Tortoise or Echoes by Floyd.

“instru-mentalists with maverick Krautrock vibes” Guardian Guide

“James Murphy at his Kraftwerk swiping best” The Fly

“akin to Chrome Hoof creating a cosmic space soundtrack to a modern day reboot of Blade Runner” Loud & Quiet

“the music John Carpenter would make if he was in 65 Days Of Static” Clash

“The orchestration throughout ‘Hivemind’ is deft and the arrangement fluid and impeccable
as the band move between blissful popol vuh style ambient heaviness ,metronomic jams. Math-rock and full-tilt psyche wig-outs. Basically, it’s the bees knees” Prog Rock