Fassine release their debut album, Dialectik. Ploughing a furrow that is as mysterious and brooding as it is enlivening and joyous, the London trio’s lyrically dark and musically complex operation possesses all the hallmarks of a typically British affair; cold and austere soundscapes being paired with the uplifting, in a fine execution of the juxtapositional...

There's a subtle, brooding beauty at the core of Fassine's debut album, Dialectik. Over the course of this LP's 10 songs (42 min, 58 sec) it builds into an audio experience you're unlikely to forget. You'll either be a fan, or you won't, but there's no disputing that Fassine delivery some interesting themes, themes that conjure up cinematic imagery within the listeners mind.

The band (Sarah Palmer, Laurie Langan, James Hayward) claim to have been inspired by old TV shows from the '70s and '80s (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy and Edge Of Darkness) and in places this shines through.

Highlights include the hauntingly beautiful 'Whatever It Takes (To Help You Sleep)' and the upbeat 'Kelby'.

As debut albums go, this is quite a well polished and evenly balanced offering.

8

Nick Smithson