ROLO TOMASSI- ‘Grievances’
Rolo Tomassi have been building to this. I mean, Rolo Tomassi are always building- the Sheffield crew have consistently evolved since their very earliest days. But their fourth album finds them condensing, purifying, and almost perfecting everything that’s come before. Given the band’s propensity for precision and technicality, that might all sound a bit calculated, but ‘Grievances’ feels totally organic. Opener ‘Estranged’ is a trademark blast of fidgety rage but ‘Raumdeuter’ is a revelation, channelling all that energy into something bold and beautiful, and ‘The Embers’ might be the finest mesh of Rolo Tomassi’s disparate sonic elements yet. Evolution in action. Special mention too, for ‘Crystal Cascades’- a melancholy but lush and cinematic standout that I could listen to on repeat for hours. Don’t get me wrong, ‘Grievances’ is not easy listening, but it is immersive, complex, emotional, and certainly the best thing this band has ever done. It might even be one of the albums of the year. The best part though, is that it feels like Rolo Tomassi have got even more to give.
