8/10

When Dry Cleaning released their breakthrough debut LP 'New Long Leg' last year, it was greeted as one of the most distinctive and inventive releases of that year. While it was nestled within countless other groups looking to revive the fledgling post-punk sound of the time, their first collection stood out as a bold and adventurous offering that cemented them as a truly unique voice on the scene. And after a whirlwind of buzz and acclaim ever since, they are wasting no time in delivering their sophomore studio album 'Stumpwork', a record that looks to build upon their vibrant direction to date.

What is most notable between their 'New Long Leg' material and this new effort is just how much more innovative they are being with their sound. While their initial full-length focused on the hard and driven aesthetic that bands like Sonic Youth had found success with before, 'Stumpwork' sees itself in a far more mellow light as the production keeps to a calmer touch, allowing frontwoman Florence Shaw to fully take the reins. It may not have the same bite as their previous outing, but this new endeavour is certainly a bold step forward for their direction and makes for similarly impressive listening.

While we have had no shortage of bands looking toward a post-punk feel to revive their overall sound, Dry Cleaning have taken it to new and exciting levels once again and offer up a brilliantly fresh and captivating collection throughout. Built upon their shimmering confidence so far, 'Stumpwork' continues their pursuit of rousing tones and engaging lyrical content from start to finish.