Like a stack of classic rock and blues tapes slit into pieces and reassembled Via some fragmented rhythmic interplay into something mind-bogglingly fresh and unique. Theme From Kindness is the new album from the highly prolific, relentlessly-touring London-based group Shield Your Eyes.

On this, their third album, the rawness and intimacy of the sound as well as the sheer energy of the performances come closer than ever to conveying the live shows of this unique and highly inventive group. The album starts with a mischievous curveball in the form of an mandolin based overture. Melodic material is worked in and weaved together to give a preview of what’s to come. It’s indicative of the idiosyncratic brand of eccentricity which pervades the record.

Tracks such as Aves and the closing piece Drawn to Water employ a similar air of whimsy tinged with melancholy, soundtracked by countrified mandolin lines and, on the latter, some lo-fi editing which brings to mind the collage folk style of The Books.

Theme From Kindness features mind-bogglingly fragmented rhythmic interplay which will doubtless engender comparisons to the work of Hella and their contemporaries. Upon closer listening, however, it becomes clear that Shield Your Eyes have found inspiration from older sources, setting them apart from the current crop of ‘post-everything’ tech bands.

The effect is like a stack of classic rock and blues tapes slit into a million pieces and reassembled by a madman with a razorblade. Whilst Shield Your Eyes can be shockingly contemporary and avant-garde in their approach, this is always tempered by a shambolic warmth, a strong awareness of songcraft, and an ability to pack their music full of memorable hooks without coming across as trite or forced. The familiar Shield Your Eyes’ trademarks are there: the abrasive but soulful guitar and vocal lines pinned to strafing drum parts. Theme From Kindness is one of those rare records which manages to thoroughly challenge the listener and smash all sorts of paradigms, whilst still maintaining a sense of inclusiveness and an utter lack of pretension. With forthcoming UK and European tours lasting from September through xmas, Shield Your Eyes are set to leave plenty of audiences dazed and awed in the near future.