7/10

Since first emerging at the start of the century, Thee Oh Sees or OCS or Oh Sees have proven themselves to be one of the most diverse and prolific outfits working today. Churning out usually more than one new studio album every year, the band have always adopted a new moniker whenever they feel that their style has morphed into something they weren't expecting. And after flipping back and forth between the usual names these last few years, they now return as Osees to deliver their twenty-third full-length 'Protean Threat', a record that is far beyond the conventional realms of their usual guise.

From the very start, 'Protean Threat' sets itself as a true outsider in their catalogue to date. With a rough and raucous atmosphere framing this collection throughout, there is something instantly distinctive about their intentions this time around. Rather than pursue the standard model of their experimental garage-rock direction, we hear a bold and adventurous mix of genres throughout this new LP. Whether its the blistering feel of a more rock-focused sound or their psychedelic roots emerging on tracks like 'Red Study', this release is far beyond the return we were expecting, and still works despite its eclectic and sometimes unstructured flow.

Fans of the group will probably be less surprised than most, given the sheer number of left turns this lot have made over the years, but 'Protean Threat' feels like their most distinctive album in years. It has this infectious energy to it that is too bonkers not to ignore, and gives us a renewed feel that this iteration of the band will be hanging around for a while yet.