7/10

When the project of Banks & Steelz was first announced, we were all a little surprised but mostly intrigued at the possibilities. The duo consists of Interpol's Paul Banks and Wu Tang Clan member RZA as they aim to bring together their two vastly different backgrounds like no one has seen before. Their debut album 'Anything But Words' features some incredibly high-profile guests including Ghostface Killah, Florence Welsh, and Kool Keith, yet still somehow manages to follow a fixed path as it plays.

The pair's style definitely lands more on the Interpol side of the spectrum, but with a heavy use of electronics and artificial percussion, the overall feel of the record is something more akin to the likes of alternative 80s synth pop than anything the pair are used to producing. While there is still the odd track that allows RZA to rap at his usual flow, much of the record is high-paced and anthemic throughout, making this debut an extremely bold and explosive introduction.

While it still isn't clear as to how far the pair are planning to take this new project, it certainly feels like they have more to give than this album. 'Anything But Words' is brimming with exciting ideas that completely outshine any initial scepticism you may have about the pairing. Truly these guys were meant to make music together, and we can only hope that this is just the beginning of a fantastic cult appreciation.