7/10

Throughout the last few years, Dutch outfit Iguana Death Cult have been sitting on the peripheries on mainstream success. With their previous LPs, 2017’s 'The First Stirrings of Hideous Insect Life' and 2019’s 'Nude Casino', established them as one of the more inventive and exciting names doing the rounds right now, they chose to step away from recording during the pandemic to further refine where to take their sound next. And after a few years of searching for their new guise, they return with their third studio album 'Echo Palace', a groove-filled journey into their funkiest ideals.

While very much inspired by the garage-rock aesthetics of bands like Parquet Courts and Talking Heads, Iguana Death Cult feel far more rounded and distinctive on this new full-length. Branching out their sound to include a more driven style that also plays with political and social commentary within its lyrics, 'Echo Palace' feels like a bold step forward for their musical evolution to date. Keeping a fun and lively energy running the length of this new collection gives it a wonderfully inviting sound, which sees them deliver their most adventurous and accessible record to date.

Although they still like to cater to those underground trends, 'Echo Palace' has this brilliantly inviting sound that could see them grow into one of Europe's most beloved outfits. Brimming with a warm and catchy appeal, Iguana Death Cult certainly feel like someone we are going to become far more familiar with in the years ahead.