7/10

Since 2010, Scottish prog-rock outfit North Atlantic Oscillation have released three studio albums. All of which have gone towards building the band's credibility and fanbase throughout the decade so far, yet now we find them releasing a "best of" compilation of their work so far. Described as an "exhibition of curated works", 'Lightning Strikes The Library' is aiming to reflect the band's more powerful tracks to date, in order to create a collection of work that highlights their more forward-thinking productions.

The result, in fact, is actually a fairly mixed affair. While it gives off the impression as a collection of their most cohesive and streamlined releases, it is actually a batch of their more eclectic and less conventional work. I guess the point of this release is to showcase the band's experimental side more than anything else, giving them a more 3-dimentional sound than their previous records would have you believe.

Yet while it doesn't have the feel of a well-connected collection, it is still filled with some memorable and powerful moments. The explosive electronics on 'Glare' speak volumes about their musical explorations, and it is tracks like that that help bring this release to life.