NEW WAR

Coin 7/10

Dark thrills’n’spills on Melbournebased quartet’s second

It can only be New War’s tardiness in following up their debut that’s prevented them from building a profile outside their homeland. At last, six years on, Coin, a lead guitar-free stew that ticks multiple ’70s/’80s synth- and post-punk boxes – Suicide, The Birthday Party, This Heat – without craven copyism. Dark, malevolent stompathons like “Bluebeard FLA” and the Liars-ish “It’s Real Wide” are contrasted with hypnotic, kosmischepop tracks; highlights of the latter being “Banana Split Wolves” (the Mondays’ “WFL” deconstructed and hitched to a Sunday-school piano) and “Chloroformed Man”, equally baggy, but stalked by the ghosts of Hansa studio. Bang on the money, you might say.