UK band Klaxons won Britain's top music award The Mercury Prize for their 2007 debut Myths of a Near Future, but follow-up Surfing the Void is no re-hash of a winning formula, with more of a rock sound than its dancey predecessor.
On first listen, the new album may sound a touch untidy and manic, reminiscent of a more up-tempo Muse, but some dynamic pop songs emerge through the bombast within a couple of repeat spins, though the crazy title track is a lot of fun from the get-go.
The space-suited cat on the excellent album cover is appropriately dressed because Surfing the Void sounds like the soundtrack to a flying saucer attack in a campy sci-fi film.
Klaxons
Surfing the Void (Modular)
Reviewed by: Christian Wilkinson