7/10

Just when you thought "emo" had become one of those relics terms that used to be used to degrade emotionally unstable teenagers in the late 90s, the phrase has begun to be banded around again to describe this new wave of despondent rock music that bands like Dikembe have got themselves in with. Their sullen style of meandering guitar playing and hallowed vocals have shown that "emo" needn't be so melodramatic, but in fact can be an engaging and thought-provoking style.

Their latest album 'Mediumship' looks to explore this concept even further by taking the emotions of the music and splicing it with the juxtaposition of their raw instrument playing, giving the record a far more down-to-earth feel and create a solid connection with the listener. The band's second album is one of those rare attempts bands make to try and create a full body of work that seamlessly flows from one track to the next, rather than just try to write some breakaway singles that overshadow the rest of the material. 'Mediumship' has this unstoppable momentum from start to finish that never falters and gives the release a real sense of purpose and direction.

While they probably still hate the "emo" mantra that has been bestowed on them, Dikembe have done an incredible job at redesigning people's expectations of them and have produced a wonderfully mature record that will appease even the most apprehensive of critics.