Sky:Lark - LP2

Tracklist:-

1. Inner Ear Destruction

2. Trilogy 1: Waterloo Teeth

3. Trilogy 2: Turing Dream

4. Trilogy 3

5. Big Rig

6. Lam Elisa

7. Gorilla God

8. Mouth/Wound

9. Scenic

Nearly six years on from their first LP and Sky:Lark are back with a new one. They haven't been quiet for all that time, with a demo and a couple of split 7" filling the gap. This time they've teamed up with co-conspirators SuperFi Records as well as Boslevan Records, Deadwood and Dingleberry Records to release their new LP on vinyl (in spite of plant waiting times). Those that caught them recently at Shay Fest in London will probably have heard some of the tracks contained on here, but this is my first time spinning my copy.

Sky:Lark has always existed on the experimental fringes of punk and LP2 opener Inner Ear Destruction is the perfect way to illustrate that point. Forceful guitar gives way to a Saxophone playing improv-jazz on a bed of feedback and rousing instrumentation that occasionally gets heavy and fast. I’ve just read that sentence back and it sounds like the description of a meal in an up-market restaurant. Sorry! Trilogy 1: Waterloo Teeth contains a nod towards Ennio Morricone. It also captures Sky:Lark’s punk craziness perfectly. Much like kindred spirits Big Machine, Sky:Lark don’t follow a set blueprint. Trilogy 2: Turing Dream is filled with metallic guitar and slow/sludge-like tempos in places, while the brief Trilogy 3 doesn’t linger for long but still rages. You don’t get much of a chance to settle into your groove while listening to this. The hefty bass-lines of Big Rig remind you of an out of control wagon train, which is quite apt as Sky:Lark smashes through it in less than two-minutes. Post-hardcore/screamo makes an appearance on Lam Elisa and it’s presence brings to mind the likes of At The Drive-In, Sparta and Million Dead (remember them?). Comparisons aside, this is crafted brilliantly. Gorilla God follows in the same vein. The semi-clean vocals sounding like the call of early-man, while the guitar work invoked images of Western saloon bar brawls. Mouth/Wound is one of those songs that you could climb to the top of a mountain and shout to. It’s short but it really hits the spot. Talking of mountains, it’s left to Scenic to round out the madness. Equal parts hardcore-punk and arty grind, Sky:Lark provides one final glimpse of their skewed genius. Saxophonist Kye makes one final appearance too. This album is the perfect bedfellow to the mixed-up world we live in. Uneasy yet weirdly soothing are the words I would use to describe it. Take a punt, it’s good!

Download it digitally (name-your-price) and buy it on physical vinyl below:-

It's also available from the below links:-

SuperFi Records - http://superfirecords.limitedrun.com/categories/superfi-releases

You can contact the other labels involved via their Facebook pages below:-

Sky:Lark Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SkyLark
Boslevan Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BoslevanRecords
Deadwood Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/deadwoodrecords
SuperFi Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/superfirecords
Dingleberry Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Dingleberry-records-and-distribution